"Three can keep a secret if two of them are dead." ~ Benjamin Franklin
"Reports please." Annabeth demanded. "Did any of you find out anything about the people we assigned you to?"
"Nope." Leo shook his head. "Because these two idiots won't go to the mall again."
"Woah, you took Leo to the mall?" Percy laughed disbelievingly.
Frank looked at his friends and muttered. "Exactly, we are not bringing him again."
"And we didn't even find anything good. I'm not risking going back there." Hazel said.
"We didn't get much luck either." Grover announced. "We decided to go inside Mrs. White's husband's house to maybe interrogate him in a non-suspicious way but Mrs. White's mother was there are she is like really against teenagers. When she found out that there were teenagers in the house, she threatened to hit us with an umbrella if we don't go out."
"Harsh." Jason commented.
"I know." Nico sighed. "Even with all the charms and stuff my dad taught me, we got kicked out."
"Where's Reyna?" Piper wondered out loud. She wasn't usually the one curious of her friend's whereabouts, in fact she enjoyed times without her as she is the only one chasing after Jason but she couldn't help but wonder.
"Projects." Annabeth answered a bit too quickly. "Nothing much, she just couldn't come today."
"Who is she investigating on anyway? And who's her partner?" Frank asked as if he's more than eager to get rid of Leo.
Annabeth hesitated for a second and replied hastily. "Nobody, I'm waiting for her to join us first. So, Jason and Piper, what have you guys got?"
"We didn't exactly came up with anything." Jason started. "But Piper came up with a theory or technically figured out why Beckendorf died. We're still working on Silena."
"And?"
"We realized that Beckendorf died because of love." Jason said seriously.
Percy put his palm against Jason's forehead and laughed. "Are you sick or something, bro? Love?"
"Yeah, love." Piper smiled backing up her crush. "Beckendorf didn't have to die but he blocked Silena from the bullet because he loved her. He'd die for her."
"I thought he went crazy when he did that." Leo cracked up. "I thought he went mental."
"Mental? No! I bet he was perfectly sane." Piper sighed. "Love is beautiful."
"and dangerous!" Grover sounded alarm. "He died, that's pretty big isn't it?"
"They can be in heaven together!" Piper argued. "That's so romantic!"
"We are so not having this argument." Annabeth rolled her eyes.
"Beckendorf died a hero death. I'm not giving up until they agree with me." Piper insisted.
"We agree with you Pipes, don't we?" Hazel looked around pleading her friends to agree. She didn't like arguments and this dispute didn't please her.
"Yes, we do." They muttered. Neither Piper nor Hazel was sure that they're sincere or not but it's good enough for now.
Annabeth nodded. "Jason and Piper, good job but find out about Silena."
"Reports from you and Percy?" Grover demanded.
"Oh uh..we got nothing." Annabeth muttered.
"We don't?" Percy frowned. "I thought you got something. You know, you are like the 21st century Einstein, you got to have figured out something."
"No?" Annabeth punched her boyfriend's arm. "We don't!"
"Oh really? Uh..I guess we don't then."
"What's wrong?" Hylla sighed. "I didn't come all the way from Harvard to see you ignoring me."
"Nothing!" Reyna insisted. "I didn't even ask you to come. You came because you wanted to feel the thrills of New York and get away from studying for a week."
"True." Hylla nodded. "What's up with you? You're so distant!"
Reyna glared at her sister. "I'm not, okay? Now leave me alone!"
"Sometimes, it's best if you tell somebody." Hylla said gently. "I took Psychology 101, I should know. Tell me your secrets, your darkest fears."
"You took psychology, well done." Reyna rolled her eyes. "So? It doesn't mean you can fully understand people's emotion? Even if you do, I frankly don't care. I'm not telling you anything. It's called a secret because only one person knows about it and that's me."
Hylla studied her sister carefully. "I won't tell."
Reyna met her sister's gaze and quoted Benjamin Franklin. "Three can keep a secret if two of them are dead."
"I'm your sister, god!" Hylla shook her head. "Fine, don't tell me. I'm going to meet some friends now. Tell me later or whatever."
"I've learnt my lesson from telling secrets." Reyna murmured softly as her sister got up.
"So how's Drew?" Annabeth whispered lowly.
"Oh, you mean the research?" Reyna frowned.
Annabeth seemed pretty distracted. "Yeah, that. Of course, she's not alive anymore."
"I found out she's been faking all these friends on Facebook. Like she has this supposed boyfriend and all these friends back in California but they are really fake accounts and phony people Drew probably created." Reyna told her.
"Oh really?" Annabeth laughed. "Does anyone else know?"
Reyna hesitated. People in Goode High are normally very curious, if you have a boyfriend even if they're all the way in Australia, they would get a plane ticket to stalk them if they can. If they can't get tickets, swimming will be one of the option. It's not their nature to not even stalk Drew's boyfriend on Facebook or perform the google research to find out they're fake especially when it's Drew. If they realize Drew's friends are false, that would be a scandal almost as big as when they found out this senior named Claire got pregnant a few years ago. "Oddily enough, no."
"Drew's good." Annabeth smiled. "She makes a great friend and enemy too. She can keep secrets really well but if she doesn't like you, even people in China will know your secrets."
"Wow." Reyna breathed. "You know her pretty well, don't you?"
Annabeth shrugged. "I guess. All you have to do is to be one step ahead of her game. That's how she feared and also admired others. She only worried about people who are similar to her. A lot of people bullied her before she died but I can tell, she doesn't care."
"You read people very well." Reyna commented. "I wish I had that ability!"
Annabeth studied her friend hard. "You've got qualities you don't know about."
"Qualities that lost Jason to Piper." Reyna grumbled.
Nico sneaked into his father's study again. Police have taped the area as 'under investigation'. They had briefly looked through the area but never got into opening the drawers. The Shooter has been keeping them busy with different cases such as Drew's death.
Besides, they wanted to hire a specialist to look through the documents professionally. They know that Hades Di Angelo is a dangerous person and didn't want to touch his documents or be acquainted with it.
There has not been any more fax or any sign of Pork Chops, Steak or anyone else. They must have known Hades is dead so they didn't fax, email or do anything about him. Nico wished they did so he would have a better idea of who they are but a part of him didn't want to either. The police might find out about the communication giving them a head-start as well.
He flipped through Drew Tanaka's file, written in Hades' own neat handwriting was a letter surprisingly written to Nico as if Hades knew his son was going to look through the file.
Dear Nico,
If you're reading this, I'm probably not around. Either you're a naughty bastard who finally got the guts to look through my drawers or you're a naughty bastard who finally got the guts to look through my drawers and mourning over my death. If you're mourning over my death, let me tell you that you're probably the only one. You could not imagine how many people want me to die, the amount is so big it could go on and on. Anyway, if you're reading this, The Shooter has made it's move. Of course, I know who the Shooter is but it'll ruin all the fun won't it? My whole life has been a game, dealing with one round after another. If I'm gone, well I lost. It's now your turn.
Son, Drew Tanaka has been walking dangerous line for years. She knew too much and the Shooter has to get rid of her. She and her blabbermouth, it's easy for her to obtain information but just as easy to give it away. Nobody can trust her. There's only way to deal with that bitch and it's to kill her. I knew it's going to happen, it's just a matter of time.
If I knew this is going to happen, why didn't I prevent it? You are probably asking yourself this question. The thing is, I want her dead. Sorry if she's close to you but it's crucial. It's like leaving a bomb on the streets. It can explode anytime and the only way to keep it from hurting anybody else is to get rid of it.
Nico, it's all a game. A cruel, dramatic, treacherous game life is. You can go as the winner of the game, live a happy ending. Others like me are the losers, we get the worse part of the deal. Surprisingly enough, I don't mind. I don't mind being the loser if you, Bianca and your mom can come out as the winners. There's only one man you need to fight and people like Drew are simply minions. They are weak and easy to get rid of. Don't be one of them. You are my son and you are going to play the game in the darkest and most dangerous hours.
Leave Bianca and your mom oblivious to what's happening. They are too fragile and easy to lose. Good luck!
Lots of love (sarcastically),
~Hades
PS, get your fucking ass away from my office
"Piper!" Ashley tapped her shoulders.
"Oh hi, Ash! Do you er, still want to be the extra in my dad's new movie?" Piper blubbered, not knowing what to say and hoping it doesn't sound stupid. "I mean, it's all the way in Paris but if you want to fly there-"
"Never mind about that." Ashley shook her head. "So I have this Valentine party coming up and you're invited!"
"Thanks!" Piper grinned, another invite to Ashley's party. That is more than anybody can wish for.
Ashley laughed. "There is a catch though, your date has to be Sky."
Piper blushed, Sky has been her long-term crush. Sure, there's Jason and Piper really like him. She swear she loves him but Sky, that is like a celebrity crush. "Sky?" She repeated. "Does he know?"
"Oh, he does." Ashley smiled. "He does."
"Okay." Piper looked at the ground. She didn't want to appear pleased about this fixed date.
"He'll pick you up 6pm on Valentine Day in front of your house. Wear something nice, flirty and romantic. It is Valentine day after all! If you want, give him a little gift. Like roses or chocolates." She winked and sashayed away leaving Piper stuck for words.
"Dude, when are you asking Piper out?" Leo urged. "You're losing her, man."
Jason frowned. "Not this topic again! I'll ask her when I'm ready."
"When you're ready, she's probably already gone. From what I heard, your chances are getting slimmer and slimmer by minutes." Leo shook his wild curls.
"What do you mean?" Jason asked, sounding alarmed. "That sounds bad."
"She already has a date for the Valentine Dance Ashley's hosting."
"Ashley? Ashley Taylor?" Jason repeated.
"Yes, the one!" Leo nodded. "She's getting out of your social league and Sky is her date. You know, that guy who can kill with looks? She likes him."
"What?" Jason threw the books he was holding on the ground. "No! It can't be too late, could it?"
"Uh..I'm bad at maths, timing and that kind of stuff. Don't ask me, bro."
"Shit, shit shit!" Jason covered his face with his hands. "What am I going to do?"
"Solution for love? Lesson one, don't ask a guy who has nobody lining up to go with to any dates. Seriously, what's wrong with girls? Am I seriously that ugly nobody wants me? Don't anybody dig my wits and charms? I don't even have desperate girls like Georgina asking me out!"
AN: Have you guys watched Contagion? That is a good movie! Okay..I'll stop with the random advertising but here's a new chapter! I think I'll have to update once a week from now on because of school :(
Anyway, Happy Martin Luther King Day! and you lucky American biatches, you got a day off ;)
~Kisses, Emily