The Picture

Jason was stressing out. He knew someone was running around with the bolt and now Nico's hat. Anyone using those two items could be powerful enough to overpower multiple half-bloods. He wasn't certain that he could even wrestle the weapons away from whoever stole them.

That's how Jason ended up talking to Nico to help him search for the weapons. Nico was more than willing to help. The issue was that Camp Half-Blood was so big, not huge compared to Camp Jupiter, but still big enough to pose a issue to finding the weapons. The weapons could be in the cabins, the Big House, the armories around camp, and even the forest. It'd take months to search the entire camp.

"So, where do we search first?" Nico asked.

"Well, I was thinking maybe we could check the basement in the Big House." Jason said.

Nico shifted, "No one has been down there except for chores. I feel like someone would've seen your bolt if it was down there. I mean, people go in there to move stuff around all the time."

Jason recognized Nico's point. If his bolt was down there, someone would've found it already. At the same time, Lupa and Annabeth had both taught him that you should never rule out something unless you're 100% sure, and Jason wasn't sure at all.

"I don't think it would hurt to check." Jason said, "We find it, then we find it. If we don't find it, then we can at least check the basement off the list."

Nico pursed his lips. He was very obviously concerned that someone was using his hat for causing trouble, and Jason understood that feeling. He'd been feeling that since his bolt went missing.

"I don't know. I just don't want to waste any time." Nico said.

"I don't either, but we have to check everything."

After that discussion, Nico and Jason made their way into the Big House basement, passing Annabeth and Percy who also were looking for something. Percy waved at them as they passed. Jason waved back. He was pretty glad that he didn't have to keep fighting Percy anymore.

Nico opened the door to the basement and together, he and Jason descended down the steps and into the dusty basement. The basement was stocked with cleaning supplies, strawberry preserves, and small stockpiles of weapons just in case. None of the boxes could fit a lightning bolt, so searching for the bolt wouldn't be hard. Nico's hat would be much harder to find. It could fit in any of the boxes.

"You start checking the boxes, I'll check any of the spaces for my bolt." Jason told Nico.

Nico nodded and went straight towards the boxes of strawberry preserves.

Jason meanwhile walked over to the stockpiles of weapons. He moved bronze swords and spears aside, hoping to see the familiar electric glow of his bolt somewhere, but as he combed through the weapons, that was getting more and more less likely.

Some of the stockpiles were coated with dust, which meant they hadn't even been moved in months. Jason checked those too, even though he was pretty sure that he wouldn't find his bolt there.

Then Jason found a small olive-green container, sort of like the one's in the Ares cabin. It could definitely fit Nico's hat, so he opened it. He was expecting to see a knife, or some other weapon. Instead, there was a small polaroid at the bottom of the container. Jason was confused. Why put a picture inside a container like this?

When Jason pulled the picture out, his heart dropped. The picture was of Percy Jackson sneaking into the basement of the Hades cabin. There was no blur, and the picture looked to be taken without Percy's knowledge.

After the whole thing in the rec room, Jason was skeptical. Why would Percy steal Nico's hat? He had no reason to. Then there was the validity of the photo. This photo could've been taken before Nico even got his hat, there was no timestamp on the picture and there were no clues as to when it was taken. Nico's cabin has had a basement since it was built.

Regardless of his thoughts, Jason turned and said, "Hey. Nico. Come look at this!"

Nico walked over and glanced at the picture, "What?"

"Isn't this your cabin?" Jason said, flipping the picture to show Nico.

Nico's eyes scanned the picture before they filled with rage. "It was Percy?!" He fumed.

"Wait." Jason said, grabbing Nico's shoulder before he went up to go murder Percy. "He snuck into the basement. Your hat wasn't in the basement, was it?"

"No, it would be in my room." Nico said, "And I always lock the basement. In fact, it was locked when I went down there to make sure no one had broken in through there."

"Well, then it probably isn't Percy who stole your hat then, but we should go ask him." Jason suggested.

"Good idea."

Ω

Jason and Nico found Percy by himself in the kitchen of the Big House, pouring himself a glass of apple juice. He was sweating, probably from spending time running around outside. He smiled at them when they walked up to him.

"What's up?" He asked.

"We have some questions for you." Jason said, "Promise to be honest, okay?"

Percy set his glass of apple juice down and said, "Okay. What's going on?"

Nico pulled out the picture and said, "I don't know. You tell me."

Percy grabbed the picture and looked at it. His eyes widened and he looked up from the picture. "I can explain." He said.

"Go ahead." Nico said, crossing his arms over his chest.

Percy set the picture on the counter next to him and said, "Okay, so I was actually looking for Jason's bolt. I thought maybe you had it. I only went into the basement though, I swear I didn't go any further than that."

"Why didn't you?" Nico asked, "The basement is connected to my cabin."

"The door was locked, man." Percy said, "I didn't want to lockpick it because I would take too long. Plus, I heard you upstairs."

"I was in my cabin when you broke in. How the Hades did I not hear you?" Nico mused.

"I don't know. I heard this loud bang from upstairs, so I ran out." Percy admitted.

"Loud bang…" Nico said, "That must've been when I slammed my closet shut. My hat was already missing when you were in the basement then."

"I guess so."

"Damn!" Nico cursed.

That was when Jason thought about the picture. "Wait a minute, if you were in your cabin and Percy's in the picture, then who took the picture?"

Nico and Percy stared at him. He knew he brought up a good point. Either someone was watching the Hades cabin, or someone was stalking Percy. Jason knew the second option was more likely. Percy had a ton of fangirls at camp, some a bit creepier than others. At the same time, the picture could've been taken by the very person who stole everything.

Percy picked up the picture and examined it again. "Well, judging from the angle, whoever took this picture was in the forest." He said.

"Dryad maybe?" Nico asked.

"Maybe." Percy said, "If a dryad stole everything, then that would be the first. The thing is, that's out of character for them though. I mean, Nico and I have talked to Juniper, and she wouldn't be the type to steal. I've never seen a Dryad steal anything unless it was payback for something and I don't think we've offended any dryads."

"Well, whoever it is, we need to be careful. Someone out here is trying to make us fight." Jason said.