Okay. Let's assume Apollo never lost his immortality, Meg doesn't exist and neither does Triumvirate Holdings. There are no half-immortal Ancient Roman Emperors still walking around, and this all takes place one month after the Second Giant War.

"Duck!"

Percy had no time to explain why as Malcolm dropped to the ground, flat on his stomach as a chainsaw-Frisbee contraption flew over him, into the side of the hill, and exploded in a shower of sparks and shrapnel.

He shouldered his backpack and ran towards Malcolm, who sat up and groaned.

"What in Hades was that?," Percy asked the son of Athena, who huffed in exasperation and frowned at the bunch of campers down in the fields, who, by their biceps and mechanical mess, were probably Hephaestus kids.

"It's a bloody exploding Chrisbee. I've told Harley a million times to fix the simulator and propeller connector, but that damned kid just won't listen."

Percy frowned. "What is a Chrisbee? And what do you even need it for? Monsters?"

"A Chrisbee is a mix-and-mash of a Frisbee and a chainsaw. A homonym. One of Cabin Nine's crazy creations. And it's for a camp activity we're having. A three-legged death race in Daedalus's Labyrinth. After Hazel Levesque got rid of Pasiphae, it's being used a lot more…it feels kinda subdued, somehow " Malcolm glanced furtively at the woods, which Percy was for the attention Harley's Chrisbee would have attracted.

He winced at the blond boy's words. "Bad idea. I wouldn't trust Daedalus's creations any more than I would trust Mr. D to remember our names properly."

Malcolm laughed. "Okay, maybe. But it's September; autumn. Why are you at camp?"

Percy's expression turned serious. "About that…well, it's better if I just talk to Chiron about it first."

The other boy nodded. "You go on. I'll be right with you."

"Are you…looking for something?"

Malcolm hesitated. "Well-"

A piercing howl, a little subdued by the closely crowded trees, interrupted him.

The boys turned to the woods, where the noise had come from. It had sounded like it was some distance away from Thalia's Pine, so the others down in the camp area wouldn't have heard it. Upon hearing it, Malcolm drew a sharp breath, and ran his fingers through his blond hair. His usually calm gray eyes looked unusually fearful.

Percy brought out Riptide. "You go on and call for some help. I'll handle it. None of the other's should have heard that; it was too far."

Malcolm shook his head. "No- I'll go. You go to Chiron. No need to call anyone."

He sprinted towards the woods before Percy could say anything.

Percy hesitated, contemplating his options. He could go back; it didn't seem too big a problem. But Malcolm had been acting a bit strange, he should check it out. After a split-second decision, he ran after Malcolm, careful not to be seen.

Line Break

Malcolm ran through the woods, a blur of green and orange and brown, in the direction of the howl. After some time, when he could not decide whether he'd been running for ten minutes or ten years, he found himself in a clearing, his eyes wide at the sight that unfolded itself before him.

A hooded figure was fighting three monsters, each having three pairs of arms. The bronze shortsword shining in the figure's grip told Malcolm it was a demigod, but the loincloth-clad monsters worried him.

Gegenees.

He sucked in his breath. It was exactly what Athena had told him in his dream. He wanted to help, nut he'd been strictly ordered not to. He would have to wait and watch.

The other demigod stepped close to the first monster, and in a single sidestrike, chopped off three of its arms. The Earthborn roared in outrage and tried to swipe at the figure, but it brought the sword up, over its head, and slammed the hilt into the monster's face, which instantly disintegrated. The other two attacked together, and the sword-wielder brought down the sword in a diagonal arc, cutting through a monster's shoulder, slicing it into two halves.

The remaining monster lunged, but the figure sidestepped the attack easily, and the sword cut into the back of the monster's neck, decapitating it and turning it into dust.

Malcolm frowned. Judging from the demigod's technique, he guessed that he had been trained well in the art of the sword. But the goddess had clearly stated that it was a runaway.

He stepped into the clearing, dead leaves crunching under his feet. Malcolm cleared his throat.

The demigod turned around and pushed back the hood to reveal the face of a beautiful girl, about seventeen, with sea-green eyes, and long black hair. As soon as he saw her, Malcolm immediately felt something warm in his chest, and felt blood rise to his face, and his lips parted in shock-and something else-shyness.

He felt amazed to still be able to feel that.

Behind him, someone inhaled sharply. Malcolm turned around-partly in an attempt to hide his blush-and found himself face to face with Percy Jackson, his emerald eyes as wide as saucers.

"You."

The girl raised an eyebrow. "Yes? Do I know you?"

Percy surged forward and pointed Riptide at her. "You break into my house, and then ask me if I know you?"

"Whoa." Malcolm frowned, glad for Percy's claim to have baffled him enough to have lost his blush. "Run that by me again."

Percy turned to him, and Malcolm noticed that he didn't look angry, just stunned. "She-"

"I'm afraid you have mistaken me for someone else." The girl interrupted. "I don't even know who the hell you are, and I'd break into your house?"

Percy looked at her in utter disbelief.

Malcolm shook his head and turned to the new demigod. "Let's just start with Who are you?"

"Alex-" she stopped abruptly, as if she'd almost let something slip. "Alex Lightwood."

Percy raised his eyebrows. "Like that Mortal Instruments character?"

"Just messing with you," Alex grinned. "It's actually Parrish."

Percy stared at her. Malcolm rolled his eyes. "Decide."

She gave him a lopsided smile, and a distant memory stabbed at him. He'd seen that exact expression before…

"Let's start again," she said. "I'm Alex Ryder."

Percy gaped at her. Malcolm glared.

"Enough," he hissed.

Alex had the nerve to laugh. "All right," she said. "I'm Alex Shaw."

"That's better." Malcolm muttered.

"All right, Shaw," Percy said. "Let's get your ass to camp."

Alex shrugged.

"And we'll see if Hera has brought us a new recruit, or if she's brought us an enemy to kill."

Malcolm inclined his head. "How do you know its Hera?"

Percy shrugged. "She's usually the one who brings trouble into my life."

Alex rolled her eyes.

"And that's what Reyna said when Juno brought me to Camp Jupiter. It sounded cool. I've always wanted to say that."

Malcolm sighed and turned away. "Let's just go."

The three walked towards camp.

Line Break

As the trio waded through the crowd of curious campers, Alex studied the two boys. Percy made her smirk internally; she was already savoring her moment of triumph as she pictured his face when he discovered her godly parentage. The other one, Malcolm, he'd said, seemed like someone she could tease and flirt with.

All that bookish seriousness of him, and the way he'd not-very-subtly blushed made the internal smirk visible on her face. Malcolm looked back, and frowned.

Alex raised her eyebrows, like, what?

He scowled and stopped, turning to Percy, whispering something in his ear. The green-eyed demigod sighed and shook his head before turning back to face her.

"I think you should be taken straight to Chiron." He said, warily. "You have a strong aura. Apart from the 'breaking into my house' thing."

She shrugged.

"I'll take her," Malcolm said to Percy.

She felt the corners of her lips quirking up. "Take me? Gods, even demigod aren't decent enough these days."

At her words, both the boys turned red. Alex tried not to notice the way the flush splayed across the blond boy's angular cheekbones, and how adorable the red sheen looked.

Percy walked in the direction of the cabins, with his backpack, and Malcolm, still blushing, gestured at her to follow him.

They stopped in front of the Bid House. It looked harmless, but Alex knew. Here, the two Great Prophecies had been foretold; here, May Castellan had lost her sanity. Here, Percy Jackson had received his first quest.

Chiron sat on the porch in wheelchair form, listening to Frank Sinatra on an old-timey record player. He smiled at the two as they came near, and motioned for them to sit. They did, and the centaur looked at her kindly, as Malcolm told him the encounter.

"So we have a new demigod, and a powerful one at that. I'm sure you'll be claimed at the campfire tonight, if not earlier."

Malcolm looked uneasy, but decided not to share the information about the whole breaking-into-Percy's-house affair. Alex decided not to speak. She had a week, tops, before the centaur realized the truth about her. But she'd have to be careful not to give herself away. According to her teacher/stepmother, she had two allies whom she could share her identity with: Malcolm and Nico, the son of Hades. Percy could be told later.

"I'll show her around," Malcolm said, still looking uncomfortable.

Chiron smiled. "Sure. Remember to remind Nyssa about the race, will you?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

Malcolm glanced at Alex, as if trying to study her, to read her body language. Then he turned away, and nervously tugged at his blond hair, which came just above his shoulders, Danny Rand style. Alex smiled a little; he looked cute when he did that.

They walked in the direction of the cabins, and Alex hoped she would be able to stay long enough to get to know this guy. But, well, she wasn't really going anywhere. She glanced past the strawberry fields, at the statue standing atop Half-Blood Hill, and then at the woods, then frowned and looked back at the Athena Parthenos.

For a moment, just a fleeting second, she'd thought that the gold and ivory face had winked at her.

Knowingly.

Alex grinned inwardly and returned her gaze to Malcolm, to find him studying her. When he saw that she'd noticed, he blushed and looked away.

She smiled at him.

"Lead on, Gray Eyes."