(Found in Hazel Levesque's pocket.)
Dear Hazel,
You've probably heard about what's happening on the Greek side by now, but in case you haven't, somebody's trying to sue Camp Half-Blood. What you probably haven't heard is that the same people have kidnapped Leo.
It's a long and complicated story (that I can't discuss over Iris Messaging because those lines aren't secure) but here's what you need to know.
1. Leo is in a Christian summer camp called Camp Gilead. DO NOT try breaking him out. The gods have some stake in the situation and I need everyone to hold their horses until we figure out what it is.
2. By the time this letter gets to you, Annabeth will be trying to infiltrate Gilead. We don't know what's in there, but if it gets nasty, I'd like to have you on standby. Show Reyna this and ask for leave to Camp Half-Blood.
3. CHB is on lockdown, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.
4. The ongoing legal battle means Greek campers are sneaking into the woods to run for New Rome. This is insanely risky and Chiron is unlikely to admit it's happening. Tell Reyna so she can do something about it.
5. And I don't mean to be alarmist, but BE PREPARED FOR THE WORST.
Leo was taken to Camp Gilead by a legal guardian he ran away from. A Misted sheet of paper should have solved the problem, but it didn't. Now Chiron is flipping out and gods are popping out of the woodwork to tell me to stay away from this random mortal summer camp. Something's not adding up.
I'm not sure why, but Annabeth wants some records from New Rome's archives. I hate dumping my dirty work on you but I can't leave camp without raising the suspicions of at least two different gods. It should be available in the local library. Ask for papers on the "Twilight Zone hypothesis" under the name Sweetwater.
The Greeks are doing everything we can, but if it's not enough, we need to know we've got Rome's support.
Sincerely,
Nico di Angelo
(Found in Cabin 13's desk drawer, Camp Half-Blood.)
Dear Nico,
I have to say I agree with you. Reyna and Frank are terribly rattled and they refuse to tell anyone why.
They're reviewing my request for leave. The warning about the Greek refugees was better received; we're setting up temporary shelters and looking for the missing campers.
I found the records for you, too, though it was no small feat. The new augur tried to block me. Or, rather, the old augur! Miss Lucretia came out of retirement in absence of another trained augur. She's every bit as stubborn as her grandson was.
She checked them out of the library before I could. When I went to ask when she would finish with them, she threw a hissy fit. Said the gods told her I couldn't have the records.
I eventually wheedled them away from her, but those words trouble me. Of course Minerva didn't appear out of the ether to shoo me away; that isn't her way. But I'd be very careful with these papers, Nico.
They should be in this same envelope. Use them wisely.
Love,
Hazel
(Excerpt from documents found in open manila envelope on Cabin 13 desk, Camp Half-Blood.)
Here's a question you've probably heard at least once: "Gods are real?"
Many feel that this is a stupid question. I don't think it's a stupid question, per say. It's just the wrong question. Gods do in fact walk among us; this is just a fact of life for Romans. However, the same people who ask the above question tend to ask an even better question that often flies under the radar: "How?"
How, then, does a god come into existence? Until 1984, all we could do to answer this question was guess. Gods were the shadows on the wall of the Platonic cave. In 1984, however, my team snuck a peek at what cast those shadows.
The experiment was inspired by a late-night viewing of the Twilight Zone episode "Perchance To Dream." The protagonist suffers from an overactive imagination. He relates an anecdote about a picture of a sailboat that hung in his childhood home, which his mother told him would move if he stared at it long enough. And it did.
A few days after watching the Twilight Zone, I and a few friends went to a garage sale where we found a painting of a sailboat. I joked that if we stared at it long enough, it would move. And it did. There was nothing unusual about that on its own. It was an optical illusion.
But then other passersby who didn't even hear the conversation started seeing it move. It moved the moment they saw it, as if it had never stopped.
I ran tests on that painting. There was nothing inherently magical about it. Then it occurred to me: the painting only moved after I told people it moved.
We got ahold of another picture of a sailboat. Similar, but not the exact same. We brought in one group of mortals to look at the boat, and we said "This boat will move if you look at it long enough."
After an hour, a second group was brought in and we asked what they saw.
At a baseline of ten people per group, the boat would move very slightly, sliding across the picture. The result was imperceptible to mortals. We swapped group two out for halfbloods, and they saw the movement.
With increasing quantity of group one, there was an increasing quality of motion. The sails of the boat would fill and dip, and the waves would rock the boat. If you look at this table, you can observe the effects…
(Excerpt from journal Bible found in Camp Gilead break room.)
6/10/12
I was hoping Teresa wouldn't beat Leo, but apparently such things are too much to hope for. I didn't even realize it happened until he showed up at the reception building with his hands all maimed. I asked if he was okay and he told me he didn't need my help, though with fewer words.
I had a momentary impulse to tell him he got what he deserved, but I managed to stop myself.
Mary, forgive me for thinking these things. I look at Leo and I think
Well, I SHOULD think of the prodigal son. The quintessential man fallen from God. I shouldn't judge him so harshly for wandering off. I don't know what he went through at that Camp Half-Blood. I mean just listen to the name. Sounds haunted just saying it.
It sucks that I feel so angry at him. When somebody's going through a hard time, you gotta love them and you gotta care for them. In the end that's all any of us are trying to do. Punishment is care, in a lot of ways. It's how you know what you're doing is wrong. We're just looking out for him.
Anyway, I'm out of aloe, so now I'm using mouthwash. It doesn't hurt as bad now, though the bleeding is still pretty heavy.
(Next to this passage, 2 Corinthians 1:7 is highlighted.)
(Found in pink flower print diary under Cabin 5 mattress, Camp Gilead.)
Dear diary,
I'm finished with one glove and I'm trying to find time to knit the other. Normally I slow down and enjoy the process, but the gloves he wears now are coming to pieces!
Something about that boy who was baptized this morning has his jimmies rustled. I sat next to the new guy this morning and he told me to stay away from him.
Odd. Real odd, even for him.
(Found in chicken coop, Camp Gilead.)
DAY 316
YEAH, I STILL DON'T TRUST HIM
(Found in Nancy Bobofit's pocket.)
Dear Jesus or God or Abraham or whatever,
My old math teacher useta say that if you feel real bad you should write it down insteada saying it so that's what I'll do. Names don't even matter because this ain't a real letter I'll send to anybody. I'll provably use it to keep track a my books.
A guy I saw here like five years ago came back and has a bunch of shit in his belt. Don't know where he gets it but it's exciting to have a partner in crime maybe. He went to some camp I heard about at yancy when I was going through this one kids clothes. Gary or whatever.
Funny I can barely remember his name. Actually that whole years fuzzy. My head hurts just tryna remember my math teacher. I know she liked me but that's about it.
Ezra is still fuckin stupid as far as flirting goes. The only thing that could get his attention is if I shoved 2 halfs of a bible in my bra.
Like one testament in each boob. Hell yeah
INVENTORY
1 Twilight eclipse (from that chick with the small nose)
2 Weed (from chicken coop)
1 box of Viagra (from dumpster behind chapel)
(Found slid under Cabin 1 door, Camp Half-Blood.)
Please get back to me about a course of action regarding the event that occurred at the ball. I can arrange for Clovis to retrieve lost memories. I just need your green light.
Will
(Found in a wastebasket in Cabin 1, Camp Half-Blood.)
Dear Thalia,
Hey, sis, how's the Hunters? Things are going great in camp. Well, not great because Leo got kidnapped and it's
I know I let you down but I think I need help
I'm afraid that
Please forgive me but
Sorry
(Remainder is smudged to illegibility.)
(Found under a pillow in Cabin 6, Camp Gilead.)
Everyone,
I don't like starting these things off with exaggerations, but I'm basically fucked. If something happens to me, consider this my will. I'll leave Festus to all of you at Camp Half-Blood. A metal dragon is way too bitchin' to leave to only one person, and who knows when you'll need him?
Jason,
To you I leave Buford, my table. Please remember to use Lemon Pledge, and if not, don't put anything important in him. Like explosives. Or, I don't know, a helmet. Actually if there's a helmet lying around wear it. Consider that my last request.
Piper,
I took my toolbelt with me, but if you ever find my body you can have it. If not, go to the bunker and grab basically any gun in there. They all shoot celestial bronze bullets and frankly I'm shocked that anyone would pass up a magic shotgun.
Percy,
You are getting any empty coke bottles I left behind and my best pair of bolt cutters. Because even in death I cannot let that go.
Calypso,
Oh (smudged) crying
This was supposed to be a joke. Damn it. (Illegible.)
Nico,
(Illegible) to the last few days and I keep looping back to you. A lot of people (smudged) and I don't treat you great either, but sometimes I think you're a better person than I am. You're scary sometimes but under the hood you're (illegible) and nice and I'm scared one day I'll open my own hood and there's just nothing.
Fuck, they're not gonna send this anyway
(Remainder is scribbled out.)
(Found in "shred" pile in Camp Gilead reception building.)
Dear Leo,
I know we don't know each other that well, but I just want to make sure you're okay.
I don't know if they'll let you read this. I hope they will. We're doing our best to make this right, so just hang in there.
Sincerely,
Nico di Angelo
(Found in Camp Half-Blood mailbox.)
Camp Gilead
Crafting God's mouthpieces
To whom it may concern,
After receiving and reviewing your letter, we have elected to not release your correspondences to your camper at this time. This was a very difficult decision to make, but it was made necessary due to these criteria:
· Inappropriate camper behavior
· Inappropriate letter content
· Sender is not the camper's legal guardian
As such, your letter will be held at the Camp Gilead office indefinitely. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Sincerely,
Father Abraham Hill
Camp Gilead Youth Pastor