And, just because we don't have enough to worry about...

Chapter 3: Post-War Conflict

You know Reyna's angry when her dogs are agitated.

You know she's downright dangerous when not even her dogs will risk being the same room as her.

Which was why, despite the countless dangers he had faced down, the numerous monstrosities he had slain, the horrors he had conquered, and his ability to turn into a hummingbird and shoot off if things got hairy, Frank Zhang was still nervous when he saw his partner's attack dogs waiting outside the Principalia. Aurum and Argentum were not guarding the door; they were sulking around, waiting for their master's mood to improve. And when you're a greyhound made of solid metal and built for war, it takes a lot to rattle your gears.

Frank went inside.

Her black hair curtained down as she leaned over the map, slashing it viciously with her dagger. She didn't look up from her important task when Frank closed the door behind him. He walked to the desk. Risking losing a finger, he snatched a green jelly bean from the glass bowl and sat on the edge of the unfortunate table. "Reyna."

She looked up, her eyes wild. The fire slowly died. "Oh. Hail, Frank. What's going on?"

Frank selected a second jelly bean. Blue. "Eagles just got back. You were right. Spot on, actually. We know where they're keeping him, now."

Reyna nodded, studying what was left of the map. She looked up. "Well?"

Frank glanced up. "Well what?"

Reyna grinned. She loved working with Frank. He was deadly, skilled, and yet he had a sweet innocence that shown through on occasion. She had been working with him for long enough to read him well enough. "I can hear a, 'there's one little problem,' in your voice. Well, out with it."

Frank walked to the doors, letting Aurum and Argentum back into the room. They padded quickly to Reyna, looking up at her with big ruby eyes. Seeing she had calmed down, they're aluminum tongues began to wag happily, and they settled on either side of the desk. Frank strode back, bracing for the reaction.

"The scouting party was spotted. They know we'll be coming, now. They do have confirmation that he's still alive, though. And we know now that they won't pick up and move camp. Problem is, without the element of surprise, we can't send in a force large enough to take them. They'll be watching for us, with a knife at his neck, most likely."

Reyna stabbed her golden dagger back into the poor, beaten desk. Eric was a new recruit. He had been put on sentry duty because new kids got worst assignments, but no one had planned on his capture. Monsters didn't generally use this kind of negotiation to get what they wanted. But Dracanea were clever. And fast. Eric didn't deserve this. Reyna had met the kid. He was hard-working. And loyal. But he was also new. Had Reyna been the one captured, her men would have sat back and waited for her to slaughter her captors and get back unscathed. But this was different. His life was really in danger. And that made Reyna mad.

She sighed. "Frank, power is relative. We couldn't get enough fresh recruits up there to get him back, but it'd be easier to send in a smaller group of seasoned troops."

Frank nodded. "And even easier to send in a crack team of the best."

Reyna pulled her knife from the desk, putting it back in her sheath. "Now you're getting it. But you can go even further. As opposed to multiple of the best, we're going to send the Best."

Frank actually thought she meant Percy. Until he saw the gleam in Reyna's eyes. "Oh no you don't, you're not-"

"It makes the most sense, Frank." Reyna went to the far wall, pulling her sword belt, (with said implement attached,) from it's hooks. "Besides, I haven't had any fun in ages. I'll take an eagle to the base of Mount Tam tonight, they won't know what hit them."

"You're the Praetor! You can't just go solo and start killing things!"

Reyna strapped on her sword belt and started loading javelins into a case that went on her back. "Frank, it's because I'm Praetor that I get to do that. I have the authority. Now, of course, you'll have to stay here. Can't have both Praetors gone, and I don't think Hazel would approve of you and I leaving for a quiet night of monster slaying. She might be a titch peeved, and we don't want to get beaned by flying gold bars."

Frank might have laughed if he wasn't so worried. "It's irresponsible to let you go alone! You could take Annabeth with you! Or Percy!"

Reyna winced. That boy was still a bit of a sore subject...

Frank realized his mistake. "Well, those two are on leave in the city, so maybe not. But you could go with Mike Kahale. Or Jeremy. Or Cristian! Someone! Do you just not want to go alone with a boy? You could go with Michelle or... Who's that one girl from Cohort 2? The one with the hatchet? You know who I'm talking about. Or Sydney! Now, see, she's one of the very best we've got, and she's been wanting to go out for a while. I bet she would be-"

"FRANK!"

Frank stopped talking.

"Thank you. No, I'm not taking Syd, or Annabeth, though that would be fun, and NO, this is NOT a boy thing. I just need..." She paused for a minute. "Some alone-time."

Frank looked like a spasmatic automaton, all Valdez'd and ready to blow. "Alone time is when you take a walk on temple hill! Or go sit on the veranda alone! Or get cocoa and stroll through the gardens of Bacchus! It's not an attack mission to free a hostage!"

Reyna smiled. "It is when you're me."