Thank you all for the reviews and support!
A/N: Regarding some questions I got from EIMR, I decided to tell the rest of you my response in case any of you were wondering. The question was: Is there any downside to Nemesis' blessing and guns?
Nemesis' blessing does seem overpowered, but remember that it is limited to only small items-anything from a paper clip to a bazooka in the last chapter. Anything larger than a launcher like a dinner table is out as well as any symbols of power. You also need to have a very sharp memory in order to visualize where to grab the desired item. If the item is even an inch off, then it will not come. You also have to have at least some eye contact with the item in said place, so that means my character won't be able to, say, steal money from a locked vault. Seth will have trouble with this because his memory isn't as good as Hunter's, and there will also be other limiters I plan on revealing later.
Guns are tricky. They're modern and they're faster than most weapons. I can understand why Riordan would hold off on them (not including how guns can be 'violent' for his intended audience). Guns are not overpowered, because ultimately guns and swords and the like are all tools, and every tool's efficiency is dependent on its wielder's skill. Even if every demigod were given a gun to use, there will always be some who won't be able to master it. Again, it comes down to skill, talent, and preference. The bazooka's firepower also seem overpowered, but it's really the equivalent of a relatively decent amount of Greek fire.
Chapter 35: Partings
After I finished cleaning up, the whole fortress erupted.
I had to crouch low to maintain my balance, the ground unsteady as I saw the roof cave in. Smoke was everywhere, and there were more explosions. I squinted my eyes as I ran towards it. I had to make sure Michael and Jacob were okay. I eventually spotted them emerging out of the billowing ashes. Both of them sported cuts and bruises, and Jacob's left arm was held tightly against his abdomen, like it was broken. Michael noticed my fast approach.
"What happened?" I asked.
He swallowed, appearing to be out of breath. "We need to meet the others and get out of here."
"Have you seen Jason?" Jacob said. I shook my head.
"I was occupied," I said. I stared down at his arm. Shit, that looked bad. "Jacob, you can't keep cradling your arm like that. Here..." I stripped off my jacket and tore off the ends, making a quick sling. I could always get a new one. I instructed Jacob to sit down and helped him put it on, while shoving a piece of ambrosia cake into his hand. I always had some on me, just in case. "Eat this, and don't fidget."
"You have ambrosia cakes?" Michael said.
I didn't look up. "Don't you?" I only got a grunt in response before I finally secured the boy's arm. "Don't add any pressure to it until we get you into a better cast. Doctor's orders." Those last two words slipped out of my mouth before I could filter it in my mind. I was so used to Will telling me that every time he took care of my injuries that it had become a reflex. The memory suddenly made me a little homesick.
We had to keep moving. More enemies were arriving, and we didn't have the manpower to handle them. The sooner we met up with Jason's group, the sooner we could retreat. We made our way back inside the Garden of the Hesperides. I allowed Michael to take the lead because I, being the temporary medic, was carrying Jacob along. He had protested, his pride not allowing him to ask for help, but I had insisted. I had the young boy on a piggy back ride so we'd cover more ground.
We heard familiar voices, and raced towards it. When we finally came out of the foliage, I nearly dropped Jacob:
Jason was engaging in combat with Marcus, who had pulled out his bo staff and used it as leverage to aim extremely high kicks and to defend against Jason's aerial attacks. His movements were fast, his shots harsh and precise, a deadly combination of strength and agility. I recognized most of his moves to be Tae Kwon Do, a martial art that specialized in kicks and strengthening the lower body.
"MARCUS!" Michael yelled. I didn't have a chance to stop him as he raised his sword and charged in to join Jason in battle. Marcus landed a hit on Jason's abdomen, causing him to stumble before he turned and blocked Michael's strike.
"Mikey!" Marcus exclaimed, clearly surprised. "Jason allowed you to come?"
"I asked to," Michael sneered, "so I can personally send your corpse to Lord Pluto's gates!"
Marcus smirked, "how crude. You know, I always had a soft spot for you, Mikey. If you had joined me, you could've easily become a lieutenant, my second in command. A better position than where you're at now. Our dad would have wanted that for you."
"Shut up!" Michael shouted and the two of them were locked into an intense clash of sword and staff.
I was startled by the exchange. I knew that Michael and Marcus had the same mother, but I didn't know they shared the same father too. I quickly snapped out of my daze when Jacob insisted to be let down.
"Look, I get how I'm younger than all of you, but it doesn't make me a baby," Jacob said. "Just let me down. I may have a broken arm, but my legs work fine." I nodded tersely, and let him down without protest. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Leila and Nathan engaging Carmela in battle. I decided to join them.
While everyone was distracted, I discreetly summoned my bow and arrows and launched three shots at Carmela, who noticed my attack a second too late, and got one of my arrows lodged in her back shoulder. She gave a gasp of pain before flipping back to dodge Leila's knife attack. Carmela gave me a vehement glare before she quickly backed away and disappeared into the woods.
"We need to leave," I told Leila quickly. "Our enemies are catching up."
Leila nodded. "Was anyone hurt?"
"Only Jacob," I informed. "He's got a broken arm. We have to tell Jason-!"
A loud thunderous noise interrupted me, and Leila, Nathan, and I instantly turned to see Jason sending a bolt of lightning that had sent Marcus flying in the air before crashing into the trees. Michael had wanted to continue the fight, but Jason stopped him.
"Leave him," Jason instructed, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Our job is done." Michael wanted to protest, but he backed off. Jason caught my stare. "Let's get out of here."
-o-
Getting out was easier said than done.
"Step on the gas, Mike!" Nathan shouted from the back. The back window had shattered, and Nathan was shooting arrows every five seconds. "They're gaining on us!"
"I AM!" Michael bellowed, completely stressed out. The car sped up even faster, and the speed arrow was reaching the eighties. "HANG ON!"
The van swerved violently, and had I not been grasping the edge of my seat, I would have been sent crashing into the side doors. Leila was holding her boyfriend down securely by the waist as he shot arrow after arrow while I held onto Jacob, who was also tossing out the last of his bombs. Behind us, there was a swarm of griffons flying above us, and a whole stampede of hellhounds, dracaena, and telekhines. Jason remained in the van. He would have gone out flying solo if the rest of us hadn't stopped him. While Jason was powerful in his own right, all of us knew he'd be outnumbered. Still, that didn't stop him from closing his eyes and mentally directing blasts of lightning at our airborne pursuers.
I felt a strong urge to do something, but there wasn't anything I could do without exposing my real identity. I had run out of my regular arrows an hour ago, and unless I felt like explaining how I could summon weapons (whether they be regular or celestial silver), I had to stay put. I felt guilty for holding back, but no matter how bad the circumstances I was in now, I'd be in a worse one with Mercury if I revealed who I was.
Michael was having a hard time. We had just broke past the toll booth, and were racing down the Golden Gate Bridge. The sun was just starting to rise, and it was getting close to rush hour. Cars were honking at us, and others crashed as the van forced its way through. We were slowly losing sight of the ground pursuers, but the griffons were relentless. Then, we felt one of them land on the roof of the van.
Leila screamed as a talon broke through the back window, and Nathan quickly pushed her down as the claw nearly sliced her arm. I quickly had my daggers in my hands and lunged to slash the opposing appendage. The griffon was forced to let go, but not before another flew right in front of the van. The windshield cracked, and Michael, who couldn't see, had unintentionally slammed the car against another one, causing the door on Jacob's side to break and fly off. Gusts of wind poured in, and Jacob screamed in horror as he nearly flew out if Jason hadn't grabbed a hold of his good arm.
"Jake!" Jason shouted amidst the chaos. "I got you- don't let go- I got you!"
The son of Victoria whimpered as he grasped Jason's hand like a lifeline, and as he was being dragged back inside, another griffon had attempted to make a snatch at the boy before Michael rammed it against the car. We were on the side lane, and so the griffon was stuck between the bridge and the van, the abrasions causing it to give a piercing screech before it disintegrated into golden dust.
In that brief moment of relapse, the GPS sounded:
In 200 yards, prepare to make a sharp left.
"How soon do we reach Camp Jupiter?" I asked.
Michael gritted his teeth, his hands trembling against the steering wheel. "Not soon enough."
"My arrows are out," Nathan announced. "Jason, I hate to ask this-!"
Before he finished his sentence, Jason had flew out of the car. The rest of the griffons followed after him, and outside, I could see a blurry figure flying in zigzag formation as six other griffons gave chase. There were still two griffons who clung to the van like glue, and once we were off the bridge, Michael turned a sharp left, causing a griffon to crash into traffic wires before tugging itself free.
We were driving through a neighborhood, one of those really nice ones with single family houses and green lawns and perfectly trimmed hedges and trees. In the back, Leila had recovered from her shock.
"Take this, you oversized chicken!" she yelled. With an outstretched hand, she willed one of the trees to bend and smack one of the griffons away, like a bug swatter would do to a fly. The griffon quickly vanished.
Nathan gave her a peck on her forehead. "That's my girl!"
"Get a room," Jacob muttered, rolling his eyes. The car hit a bump, and I noticed how he clutched his injured arm closer, clenching his mouth tightly as if to silence out the pain. His skin had gone noticeably paler, and he was sweating.
He needs to see a medic, I thought. I quickly took out the last of my ambrosia cakes. Jacob needed it more than I did, and I held it up to his mouth. "Swallow this." Jacob opened his mouth willingly, his head rested against my arm as he chewed.
In 250 yards, keep right.
Just as the car made a turn, the roof of the car was penetrated by sharp talons. I heard Michael curse loudly as the van was lifted off the ground. I had to secure Jacob in my grasp for fear of him falling out the unhinged opening. There was yelling as the griffon dropped the van, and gravity pulled us into a violent tumble. For a moment, I couldn't think. I heard the glass shatter all around, and I remembered my body shielding the boy, my face lowered. I saw only darkness and I thought I heard the sound of Jason's screams...
-o-
Jason thought his heart had stopped.
He had dispatched another of his foes with a sword thrust, frying the crap out of the monster before he realized the remaining griffons had turned their attention to his friends. He sought to aid them, but another griffin had stopped him. He flew down, avoiding its sharp claws narrowly, trying to fly past it. His wrist was aching, and his shirt and pants had tears. His face was burning against the cold, an old sensation, and he felt dried blood on his face. He manipulated the winds at his command, going ever faster before he turned into a dead end. The griffon was hot on his trail, and just when his body was going to hit the brick wall, he swerved up. The monster crashed against the wall, damaging the housing complex inside. He didn't have time to see the mortals start coming out and pointing fingers when Jason circled back to where he last saw the van.
When his blue eyes finally spotted it, the van was being dragged into the air by two griffons. Jason felt his lungs bursting as he raged, and his heart seemed to plummet along with the battered van, which still contained the rest of his team. By instinct, Jason tried to ease the fall. The van crashed head onto the concrete, tumbling over once, twice, before Jason used all his energy to control the winds, halting the van's destructive path.
He flew towards the van quickly. The last two griffons were on top of it, trying to scavenge the ruins before Jason angrily charged up his javelin, and sent another bolt of lightning at one of the monsters. The monster screeched before it exploded into gold dust, and the last one charged at him. Jason barely defended himself against the attack. His fatigue had finally caught up with him, and he found himself panting, and his brain was registering the injuries he had sustained during the fight. His body felt heavier, wearier. Jason cursed at his rotten luck—why did his adrenaline have to die on him now?
He had to reach his friends, and to do that, he needed to kill this beast. He stood in front of the van, his javelin pointed upright. There was only one of them, but his dizzy mind made him believe there were many. Jason didn't know if he could defend against another attack, but he had to. Pluto's realm would freeze over before the praetor allowed his friends to be at this monster's mercy. He'd defend them to his last breath.
The griffon flew up and around, and then it soared down. Its speed so fast that Jason couldn't read its movements. He raised his sword, intending to block...
...before something silver flashed past his face and pierced the griffon's neck.
Jason blinked in surprise, his knees giving out as the creature squawked and clawed the ground, trying to fly up before more silver flashes- arrows, he finally made out- embedded themselves into the monster. The griffon gave one last screech before it keeled over, its body dissolving into particles.
He stared at the monster, dumbfounded before he slowly turned around.
Hadrian Chase was a bloody mess. His clothes were in shreds, and there were glass shards in his bare arms. His face was drenched in red, his auburn hair sticking out all over. Yet, despite all his apparent wounds, he still managed to stand upright, and he held a long three foot wide silver bow in offense position. Jason watched in disbelief as Hadrian lowered his weapon, his arm pressed against the van for support before the silver weapon vanished in his hand. Hadrian's eyes were narrowed, and they glowed an eerie silver. Jason noticed how he kept his gaze on the griffon's corpse, as if...fascinated.
When Hadrian had finished analyzing the griffon, he turned his gaze on Jason.
The two of them stared at each other. Jason struggled to come up with something to say. That bow he had...Jason recognized it as one belonging to the Hunters of Diana. How had he come by them? Why did he not use them before? What else had he been hiding?
Was he really a 'weapon' like Terminus had claimed him to be?
No matter how many questions he wanted to ask, Jason couldn't bring himself to say them. He wondered if he was in shock, or simply overwhelmed, but there was also a part of him that begrudgingly understood.
Hadrian broke the silence. "Are you okay?"
Jason nodded. "Y-yeah." He swallowed uncomfortably, and then remembered. "A-are any of them...?"
"They're alive," he said, his eyes downcast. "I checked their pulses before I...you know." He trailed off, and turned his back to Jason as he pried opened a door. "Help me get them out. Most of them only lost consciousness, but I think Michael's in really bad shape..."
"Okay."
Hadrian had been right. The two of them quickly dragged the rest of their team out of the van. Jacob had only gained a light hit on his head and minor cuts, and was only out cold due to his injured arm. Both Nathan and Leila, who were sitting in the back, had long bloody gashes and bruises, more prominent on Nathan, who had also twisted his dominant arm. Michael, who was in the driver's seat, and therefore had the brunt of the attack, was in the worst condition. He suffered a concussion, there were cuts all over his face, and one of his legs was broken. One of the larger glass shards had also impaled his abdomen. He was still out cold while the others slightly stirred in their sleep.
Hadrian had set to work, taking out medicinal bandages, gauze, and other supplies the van had. He treated Michael first, before moving on to take care of Jacob's arm, and then Nathan and Leila. Jason could only help Hadrian by handing him what he asked. He didn't have any knowledge in healing at all, and for the first time, Jason felt incompetent. Hadrian's hands remained steady, but his wounds were still untreated. The blood on his face had dried.
When Hadrian was about to treat him next, Jason protested. "You're in a worst condition than me. Treat yourself first."
Hadrian seemed to notice his own injuries for the first time. "I'm fine."
"No, you're not!" Jason didn't even realize he was raising his voice. "I don't even know how you're up and walking and doing all this, you should be resting with them-!"
"It only looks bad," Hadrian reassured. He gestured at his bloodied face before wiping some off with his sleeve, and to Jason's horror, started plucking out the shards in his arms with his fingers before Jason stopped him.
"Quit doing that!" Jason said, tugging his hand away. "Aren't you afraid of infection?"
"No," he said bluntly. "That won't happen with me."
Jason stared at him, disbelief was evident on his face. Hadrian sighed, and lifted his arm up.
"I heal fast," Hadrian said. Jason almost gave a snort, thinking Hadrian was only being stubborn, before he realized he was serious. "Just look."
Hesitantly, he did. For a moment, Hadrian's arm was littered with cuts, and there was still glass embedded in his skin. However, the bleeding stopped, and the punctured holes slowly, almost miraculously, closed up, leaving pink scar tissue before those faded away a minute later. If not for the other glass shards still stuck, his arm looked completely unharmed. The entire process took less than five minutes. Jason's mouth was agape, and without meaning to, he moved away from Hadrian cautiously.
He's like Wolverine, Jason thought.
Hadrian noticed. "You're scared of me." He had said it very quietly, and without waiting for a reply, he looked down at his arms, his hair covering his eyes. He continued to pluck out the rest of the shards, the gesture almost...mindless, like he was picking flowers in a field instead of sharp glass.
Does he not feel any pain? Jason wondered, and briefly, the praetor was reminded of his conversations with Reyna and Terminus.
"Hadrian Chase is dangerous," Reyna had said. "If you even think that there's a possibility of him turning on you, then you have permission." Permission to take him out was what she meant.
"We don't know him," he had defended. "We can't determine that just by observation."
Jason had thought it was unfair of Reyna to judge Hadrian as a danger when she rarely interacted with said person. Not like he did. If Hadrian had really meant any harm, Jason believed he would have been able to tell. He was a people person, and his inner judgment has never failed him. He tried telling this to Reyna, who only took his words with a grain of salt and reminded him again to be careful.
His conversation with Terminus went the same way.
"Why did you call him a weapon, Lord Terminus?" he had asked.
Terminus snorted, like the question was ridiculous. "Because he is!" Jason scowled.
"Hadrian is a PERSON," Jason said, "just like any of us. Look, I know he insulted you, but it shouldn't have warrant such a label."
Somehow, Jason felt insulted, not just for Hadrian's sake, but because it almost touched a personal nerve. Jason knew that because his father was the King of the gods, a lot was to be expected of him. He knew what it felt like to shoulder responsibility, and being forced into a role you never asked for. He also had no delusions of his father ever seeing him, for it was an unspoken rule that gods never interacted with the Legion unless they wanted something, treating each of them like tools.
Terminus had regarded him carefully, like he could tell what had crossed Jason's mind. "He's not the same as you, praetor. He's a danger that cannot be overlooked."
Yeah, like calling him a weapon would make him more docile, Jason had thought sarcastically.
"He's a PERSON," he had insisted, "being called a 'weapon' is dehumanizing. Unless you can explain why-!"
"I can't," the god muttered.
"What?"
"It's not in my jurisdiction to reveal what I know," the god whispered. For a moment, the statue god even looked nervous, as if afraid someone would overhear them. "But mark my words, Jason Grace—the one you know as 'Hadrian Chase' isn't to be underestimated. If you knew of the things he's capable of...you wouldn't be within a 100 yards of him."
Jason would admit later that the warning had spooked him a little, but at the time, he had brushed it off.
"I'll decide that on my own."
Now, Jason was on the verge of figuring Hadrian out, and even though his enhanced healing had taken him off guard, Hadrian has done nothing but help the team. He took care of each of their needs before his own, and has done above what Jason had expected of him. Hadrian has earned nothing short of his respect and friendship, and he wasn't going to let Reyna or Terminus' warnings determine his treatment of him.
"You can tell me, you know," Jason offered. Hadrian looked up at him warily. "Whatever it is that you think you have to hide, I promise I won't tell anyone."
Hadrian didn't reply, in fact, he remained silent for so long that Jason thought he didn't hear him. They were seated in the grass, the van just meters away, tucked beneath a small bridge. Jason noticed Jacob fidgeting in his sleep, but he looked warmer under the blankets he and Hadrian had placed over their comrades. Hadrian had also given each of them pillows. Jason didn't remember seeing spare pillows in the van.
"Do you..." Jason looked up as Hadrian finally spoke, his voice sounded tentative and unsure. "Do you know what it's like to be different?"
Jason wasn't sure if the question was rhetorical, but he nodded anyway. Not one day has passed without reminding him of how much he stood out among the Legion or even just his inner circle of friends. Whether it was ability, parentage, or character, people were drawn to Jason, son of Jupiter, praetor of the Legion. Even his titles sounded too flowery to him. The Fifth Cohort, the Senate, and even Reyna saw him as different, someone who was the epitome of hope and change. He hated it. He hated how people saw him as a perfect icon, one who could do no wrong. He didn't want to bear the burden of their limitless expectations.
"I am different, Jason," Hadrian whispered, "and it's not a type of different that gets me a lot of fans. It's not a 'good' different like what you're experiencing."
Jason didn't answer, but he was startled by how Hadrian had read him so easily.
"It's not to say that your predicament is any better than mine. It's not," he amended. "But while your differences make you look...special, idolized even-my differences will cause people to reject me, out of fear or jealousy it doesn't matter which." He swallowed uncomfortably, his eyes-Jason noticed that they were silver- were glazed over. "People don't like things that are different from them, especially when they pose a threat."
Again, Jason was reminded of his conversation with Terminus and Reyna. He had to know...
"Why?" he said. "Why would you pose a threat?"
Who are you, Hadrian Chase?
"I...I haven't been completely honest with you," Hadrian admitted. "You saw my weapon earlier, didn't you?" He nodded. "I didn't want to show it to you, but if I hadn't, I feared that you would have been killed."
"Your weapon...it looked like one of the bows Lady Diana's hunters would use," Jason recalled.
Hadrian smiled briefly. "It's the same."
Oh...
"There's an elephant in the room," Hadrian said dryly. He had taken out some bandages, and at his prodding, Jason finally let Hadrian treat him. "Go ahead, Jason. Give your best guess."
Jason sucked in a breath, and as Hadrian dabbed his injuries, he discreetly took in his sharp features, the auburn hair, and of course, the silver eyes that had glowed ominously. He also remembered his archery and dual wielding skills, as well as seeing his combat moves that leaned towards stealth than power. To top it all off, there was his augury that literally revealed the answer...
He felt like an idiot. Even if he never met her, his skills made it blatantly obvious.
"You're a son of Diana," Jason said quietly. He glanced at his sleeping companions, in case they overheard him. They remained immobile. "Apollo is your uncle, not your father."
He felt Hadrian's hands still before they picked up again. His silence confirmed it.
"There's nothing wrong with that," Jason said, feeling the need to reassure him. Hadrian shook his head.
"Everything is wrong," he insisted. "Jason, Diana didn't make me because she felt like it. She didn't wake up one day and thought, 'Hey, I wonder what it's like to have a kid. Maybe I'll even try having a son!'—no, because that would be absurd. Diana hates us, the male race. She despises us, and if I wasn't what I was, she'd hate me no less than the next guy. The truth is, my mother made me because she was under a forced obligation, and under those circumstances, I can never hope to gain her approval. I'm lucky to still be alive."
Jason hesitated, "she...she wants to kill you?"
He shook his head. "It's not like that. I don't hate her, and...I don't think she hates me either. She tolerates my presence. I even met her." He seemed to give a shadow of a smile, reminiscing. "She's everything I've expected and more." Hadrian tightened the bandages on his left forearm until Jason winced. Hadrian loosened it just right before tying the ends.
Jason reflected back on what Hadrian had said, and noticed something. "You keep saying she 'made' you." Hadrian's face paled, like he hadn't meant to reveal that. Jason sighed. "I don't care about any of that stuff, Hadrian. I don't care if you're born, made, or if you had suddenly sprung forth from a rock—it doesn't matter."*
"How can it not?" he said quietly. He looked up at Jason, his face clearly desperate for an answer, something that could give him reassurance, because it was something he needed to hear. "In a world like ours, heritage is the first thing people see. You of all people should know that."
Unfortunately, Jason did, but it didn't stop him from convincing Hadrian otherwise. "That's true, but our heritage is kind of an icebreaker. It can't be avoided, but it allows people to get to know you from a distance until you allow them in, get to know you personally. By doing that, people would start to see us for who we are, not by our parents."
Hadrian was quiet. He moved beside Jason's other arm, and started the process over again. He seemed too transfixed by the bandages, like his silver eyes were purposely keeping themselves occupied, away from Jason's stare. "Lift your sleeve up some more."
Jason did so, and relaxed as Hadrian disinfected his revealed scrape. "You say you're a son of Diana, right? How are you so good at healing?"
Hadrian shrugged. "I'm special."
Jason rolled his eyes. "Fine, don't tell me, but seriously though-just know that I'm willing to lend an ear if you need it." Hadrian stopped moving.
"I wonder about you, Jason," he replied. "How can you handle so many things at once? Doesn't it overwhelm you?"
The son of Jupiter looked down at his lap. "It's not easy. I had a hard time in the beginning, and I still do. Leaders...we're expected to do a lot and not fail. We're expected to make the right decisions, and sometimes the people who depend on us don't treat us as infallible human beings. But I have Reyna, and all of our friends in the Fifth Cohort to support me." He smiled at the thought. "Gods know I would have broken down without their help. They rely on me, but I also rely on them. It's a two-way street."
Hadrian scowled. "You depend on people?" Jason frowned at his disgruntled tone. He noticed how Hadrian looked almost disgusted by the thought, like he had shoved something vile down his throat.
"Yeah," he said. "What's wrong with that?"
"It's...cheap."
Jason was incredulous, not expecting the word. "Cheap?"
"Using your friends as your support," he clarified. "It's cheap. By depending on them so much, you're not only looking down on your own abilities, but you're also exploiting their kindness."
"I...I'm not exploiting my friends!" he exclaimed defensively.
"Depends on the context," Hadrian muttered. "If you got their permission to use their help, then it wouldn't be exploitation. Like how you recruited all of us. But using them to make decisions while they're unaware...how is that not a form of exploitation?"
"It's called being considerate," Jason argued. "How in the world did you mistake that for exploitation?"
"I'll admit that I'm a hardcore cynic when it comes to human behavior," Hadrian whispered. He looked apologetic. "Forgive me if my questions were inappropriate. I had to make sure that you had good intentions, Jason. I'm glad you're a good person. Someone trustworthy."
Jason blinked at the compliments. Hadrian had just gone from probing to apologetic to cajolery under a minute. "Thanks?"
Hadrian nodded. "You make a good conversationalist, Jason Grace. I'm...glad that I chose to open up to you."
"Yeah, anytime," he mumbled, "but why did you chose to tell me?"
"You remind me of her."
"Her?"
"A good friend of mine," Hadrian said wistfully. "The two of you are similar in many ways. It made it easy for me to speak to you. Maybe you'll meet her one day. She's currently my mother's lieutenant."
If Jason wasn't seeing things, he would have sworn Hadrian looked amused when he said that.
"How are you all going to get to Camp Jupiter?" Hadrian asked.
"There are dispensable phones in the van," Jason informed. "I should start making some calls." He got up slowly, most of his wounds were already wrapped up thanks to the son of Diana, and the ones that were left untreated were in the process of recovery. He pulled out a flip phone and dialed the correct numbers. It should be sending a signal now. "You're leaving us, aren't you?"
Hadrian nodded once, and stood up. "I've overstayed my welcome."
"You're leaving now?" Jason questioned when he saw Hadrian turn his back. "You're not going to wait for the others to wake up?" The son of Diana halted.
"It's for the best," Hadrian replied. "I've done what I can. I'm not needed here anymore."
"Where will you go?" Jason said. "You know, I never believed for a second that you've been traveling this whole time. It's clear that you were trained very well."
"You think so?"
"Definitely."
Then, much to Jason's surprise, Hadrian drew his head back and laughed. His shoulders shook as he did so, and when he finally looked back at him, his silver eyes were full of mirth. Jason couldn't help but smile back. Laughter was contagious.
"You're too nosy for your own good," Hadrian smirked. "I'll see you around, Jason. Oh, and by the way—you better help Michael up. He's about to choke on his own spit."
Jason heard someone cough violently, and when he turned around, he saw Michael attempted to sit up, but failing. The praetor quickly moved to help the son of Venus sit up straight, patting his back repetitively until Michael gasped.
"Are you alright?" Jason said, worried.
Michael winced. "Not at my best, praetor, but I'll live." He looked around, looking confused. "Where's Hadrian?"
"Hadrian? He's..." Jason turned around, but he knew he wasn't going to see Hadrian there. The son of Diana was true to his word. He had left before the others could wake up. He looked back at Michael, disappointed. "He's gone."
Michael was silent, his gaze knowing, and he looked like he had questions but held back. "That sucks. I wanted to thank him. He's the one who treated us?"
Jason nodded solemnly. "Yeah."
"Well, remind me next time I see him, I owe him one," Michael said.
"You think we'll see him again?" Jason questioned.
Michael gave a smile. "He said so himself."
I'll see you around, Jason.
"You overheard us?" Jason said, suddenly looking worried. How much did Michael hear? His friend only placed a hand on his shoulder, as if to deflect his worries.
"It doesn't change anything," Michael said softly. "Hadrian Chase has proven himself to be our ally, and I'll treat him as such. I could care less how our parents would think."
Jason felt lightened by his words. "Thanks, Mike." He noticed the others have started to wake up slowly, blinking the drowsiness out of their eyes. Then, he heard the sound of a car approaching, and recognized the driver to be one of the Legion's scouts. Reyna has answered his call.
"Let's go home."
-o-
*I figured that if anyone was able to comprehend Hunter's situation, it would be Jason. As explained in this chapter, Jason understands what it's like to be forced into a role he doesn't want, and from what I've read in HOH, Jason's also the type of person to be very accepting, as seen when he found out about Nico's sexuality. His accepting nature, as well as his similarities to Thalia, was what prompted Hunter to open up to him.
A/N: This chapter concludes the 'Roman Arc'. As Hunter had said during his departure, this isn't the last you guys will see of Jason and the other Romans. Seth Hunter will be returning to Walt and Lynetta and taking the final test. The next few chapters will be shifting to Seth's POV. Leave me your thoughts, comments, and predictions in your review! Thanks for reading!
NEXT CHAPTER: SETH VS. HUNTER
Who do you think will win?