Well, good news first. We found the Caldecott tunnel. Ellie, Lexie and I had almost gotten hit by a semi-truck crossing the bridge from San Francisco but there we were, standing at the side of the Road looking toward the maintenance door to the tunnel at something that surprised the three of us more than any monster ever had.
Three male kids in heavy golden armor stood guard in front of the door. Each one carried a pike in one hand and an enormous, rectangular shield in the other. Each shield had a slightly different image but one theme was a constant, a golden eagle. What really scared me was that they were wearing the same purple colored shirts as Octavian was in my nightmares.
"I think we've found what Eros was talking about." Ellie said bluntly as she strained to not shiver. She was still not use to the bay area cold nights and clutched her jacket tightly. We were hiding behind a large pair of boulders that lined the highway. Luckily it was still about three in the morning so they couldn't see our heads poking over the rocks.
"You're the veteran Demigod here Ellie, you know who these kids are?" Asked my sister, who was obviously much more comfortable in the cold. She held her bow in her left hand and was ready with a modified arrow she called a "flash" arrow for if we were spotted.
"No, the only other group of demigods I know of are the hunters." She answered. "And they don't accept mem."
"Well, I think we should see if they are friendly. I'm going to go talk to-" I stopped my sister from standing up. I didn't want to risk her getting captured and tortured like in my nightmare. "What now?!" She seemed irritated by me pulling her to the ground.
"Don't go! I recognise these kids." I felt my brotherly instincts kick in. "They have Austin and his team. If you go running up to them, there is a good chance you'll end up captured too!"
"What do you mean you know them? You barely just found out what you really are!" Asked Ellie.
"I... I had a dream, I saw people dressed just liked them and I think they had Austin, he has blonde hair correct? Kinda short?" Lexie nodded. "They had him had few others and were taking them to some sort of prison."
"Well, we need to get past them then. If they are past that door or there is a clue to finding them, I can't let it slip by!" My sister was more than determined to find this guy, I could only hope she would do the same for me. She set her weapon down and started to think. A few moments passed before she said anything. "Sean, you said that there is a good chance I could get captured Right?"
I nodded. "But if you are thinking what I think you are thinking, there's a solid chance they might kill you outright. They didn't seem to friendly with people like us in my nightmare."
"Well, I don't see you coming up with any better ideas." She stood up from behind our bolder and placed everything she was carrying on the ground other than her sword and bow. "If they capture me I need you to be at my back."
"What if I talk to them?" I offered.
"No. If things go wrong, whoever is talking to them will be at the center of the fight." She passed me her bow and her two of modified arrows. "If something goes wrong, aim at their feet." I looked at the tips of the arrows and noticed they weren't regular arrowheads. Instead of a metal tip, a smokey glass capsule containing a green gas.
"Got it." I hoped that I hadn't forgotten Ellie's archery instructions.
"Leave your backpack here, if things go awry we're going to need to run. Fast." Advised Ellie. We both slipped our packs off and rested them next to my sister's.
Before we continued toward the guards I noticed Lexie slip a small, paper square out of her coat. It was a photo. I couldn't see what it was of because after looking at it for a second, she slipped it back into her pocket. "Let's move."
~~~•••~~~•••~~~
I pointed to a hole in the chain-link fence that separated us from the highway, and the maintenance door. Lexie told Ellie and I to stay concealed under the concrete retaining wall unless fighting started. Surprise would be on our side.
I peeked over the side as I watched my sister climb through the hole and cautiously cross the empty highway. She raised her hands in the air when they noticed her.
The tallest of the trio waited until she was across then began to talk to her calmly, like Lexie had when she told me I was a demigod. "A new arriv-" he stopped as he noticed the bronze sword strapped to her belt. "Octavian warned us about you." His tone transferred from calm and collected, to agitated. He lowered his pike at her and ordered her to drop her sword.
Now, my sister being who she is, she refused to disarm herself and backed up so that the trio had their backs to us. That was when I released the arrow.
I immediately knew why they were called "flash" arrows. The second that the glass capsule shattered against the hard concrete, a flash so bright that I had to cover my eyes with my arm. Luckily the road was clear when I released the arrow or someone would have certainly crashed.
The second that the flash dissipated both Ellie and I both bolted across the road with our swords drawn. Turns out, we weren't needed, Lexie had anticipated the flash and averted her eyes then used her hands to smash two of the guards' head together like stooges. The last one, she took him by the helmet and launched him dizzily into the concrete wall.
"Quick, pull them inside!" Ordered Ellie sheathing her sword and pointing to a set of headlights that were speeding down the highway. It would probably be a little difficult to explain why we were standing over three unconscious teens in golden armor.
Gods they were heavy! I dragged the center one by his hands toward the door. I quickly dropped one of his arms and opened the door once it was within reach then we all hurried inside with our unconscious... friends.