Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Story: Guardians of Light and Justice
Chapter 3: Spies
Percy's POV
I put down the report that I was reading once Nico left. I know he's just concerned about me, but I need to focus on this job its too important. I looked back at my desk and signed a few forms and then stood up and walked out of my office. Its interesting we had office workers who were demigods, but not Guardians. Only those that have passed the training and required field work were granted positions as guardians. It required a sacred oath and I still feel that I'm not worthy to be a guardian and certainly not their commander. I walked out of the office as people saluted. I walked out and toward the large training facility that was to the left of my office. I walked in, no one was there at the moment. I took out Riptide and uncapped it. The meter long celestial bronze sword extended in my hand. I fought a robot simulator until it was a broken and fried pile of junk on the floor. I walked over to the water fountain and I felt instantly refreshed and renewed. I heard the door to the training facility open and in walked Lady Athena.
Athena approached me, I bowed in respect. "Lady Athena, do you need assistance?" I asked.
She looked at me and smiled slightly. "I spoke to Nico." Athena said.
"So he knows everything now." I said.
"Yes, he was quite surprised to say the least. He's worried about you Perseus." Athena said.
"I know, but my job is too important, lives are at stake, you above all others know this." I said. Athena just nodded in agreement with a solemn expression on her face.
"Even the great and invincible Perseus Jackson needs rest and relaxation sometimes." Athena said mockingly. I gave her an unamused smirk. "What happened to the boy that was so care free and spontaneous? The boy that drove me crazy with his idiotic bravery and self sacrifice." I couldn't believe she asked that.
"He was an innocent fool, he had to grow up sometime." I said. Athena just stared at me and shook her head. "Besides I thought you like the grown up version better?"
"You have proven yourself to be an excellent commander and guardian. You have exceeded everyone's expectations, except your own. Percy you can't keep yourself so closed off from others. You have done a great job since joining the council, but we are all worried about you. You put too much on your shoulders and eventually you'll collapse under the strain." Athena said.
"If I didn't know any better I would almost think that you cared." I said.
"Don't flatter yourself commander, I worry that you're not up to the task ahead." Athena said, but I could tell that she had other reasons.
"I know you're right as usual, but I can't help it. The work takes my mind off of things." I said.
Athena gave me a knowing smile. "You still think about her don't you?" Athena asked.
"I don't know what you're talking about." I said defensively. I stared into those gray eyes and I couldn't help, but think about Annabeth. The name sounded so strange in my mind now, but the emotions attached to it would always be there.
"You can't lie to me Perseus." Athena said. Damn, why does she have to be right most of the time?
I sighed loudly and stared into her gray eyes. I could see her trying to figure me out, but I've learned to control my feelings. I just stared back at her coldly. I almost thought I saw her shiver beneath my gaze. "I think about many people both alive and dead." I said.
"Why don't you go see her? She is lonely too, she is a workahlic like yourself." Athena said.
"First off you warned me to stay away from her and you said that you didn't approve of my friendship with her. Besides I seem to remember years ago that you voted for my death." I said accusingly.
Athena looked stunned and uncomfortable by my repeat of past confrontations. "Things have changed, you've changed." Athena said.
"Please tell me something I don't know." I said matter-of-factly. "You know the rules a guardian has to swear off friendship. We must remain the quiet protectors, we are here to protect, but it must be done in secret. We have to stay away from those we care about. We cannot allow these outside relationships to exist, they are dangerous for us and even more so for them." I said. I could tell by Athena's expression that she knew what I meant.
"She's an immortal Percy, the Hand can't use her against you and they cannot hurt her either." Athena said.
"It doesn't matter, we have rules for a reason and I will not go against those rules. I set the model for the others to follow, they are my responsibility." I said. Athena looked into my eyes again to check my resolve. She just shook her head.
"Percy, I do care about you, I consider you a friend and as a friend I'm telling you to forgive yourself and move on. You can't keep living in the past." Athena said. I was stunned that she admitted that we were friends.
"I do appreciate your friendship, but I can never forgive myself for what I did. I can only keep making amends and hope thats enough." I said.
"Stubborn just like your father." Athena said. I knew she was on much better terms with my dad, but she still liked to evaluate his personality. I guess old habits die hard.
"I know you didn't come here to discuss my personal life. Why are you really here?" I asked. A smirk came to her face.
"You think you know me so well, don't you?" Athena asked.
"Well enough." I said.
"Yes, we the gods have reason to believe the target that the Hand was trying to strike was Camp Half Blood." Athena said. I was shocked, how could they even think they could get passed the border?
"We don't know how they planned to get passed the border." Athena said answering my mental question.
"How did you find this out?" I asked.
Athena looked at me carefully and I knew she was about to tell me something confidential. "We have a spy in their ranks." Athena said. This shocked me completely.
"We've been trying to get a spy in their midst for years. The Stolls were the closest we every came." I said.
"I understand, but this spy is not a Guardian nor a demigod. We have a minor god in their ranks that is spying for us." Athena said. I was utterly stunned with that revelation.
"Who?" I asked.
"Zeus has forbid me to tell, only the two of us know." Athena said.
"Can this god be trusted?" I asked.
"Yes, we believe so." Athena said, I looked into her eyes and I could tell that she believed in this person.
"OK, since you're here I take it we have a council meeting to attend." I said. Athena nodded and smiled.
"Perceptive as ever commander." Athena said.
"I have to be considering how well people keep secrets around here." I said with a slight smirk.
"I see there's still a little sense of humor and sarcasm left in there." Athena said as she pointed toward my head.
I smiled a genuine one for once, but it didn't last long. I saw her smile fade when mine did. "We have a council meeting to go to." I said as I opened the door for her and followed her down the hallway to the council chambers. We entered to see only a few of the council in attendance. Apollo was there with his usual happy go lucky smile and bright eyes. Aether was there his blond hair shining and his bright blue eyes as clear as the sky. He gave me a smile as we entered. To Aether's right sat Nike in a special chair so her wings could settle off her back, her dark hair and brown eyes could stare right into your soul. She gave me a nod as we entered. Lastly, the goddess Astraea sat at the end of the table. Her black hair tied up on her head with some loose hairs that seemed to fall behind her hair. Her dark eyes intensely gazing around the room like she was judging all of us. She stared at me for a moment when I entered and I stared back. A battle of wills that we both shared since I joined the council began. Athena finally cleared her throat breaking us away from our internal battle.
"We have six council members present, so we may begin." Athena said.
"Lady Athena why have you called this meeting?" Astraea asked.
"We have reason to believe that the recent explosion and injury of guardians Travis and Connor Stoll is linked to a plot by the Hand to attack Camp Half Blood." Athena said. The council began to whisper to each other about this new piece of information.
"How do you know this?" Nike asked. I knew this question would come up.
"We have a spy in their midst." Athena said.
"How, the guardians have been trying for years to no avail?" Aether asked.
"The spy is a minor god." Athena said. The discussion became louder Aether and Apollo were arguing, so were Nike and Astraea.
"Who is this spy?" Astraea asked, more like demanded really. Athena gave her a determined look, but neither one would give an inch. It was my turn to take over.
"This spy is a secret by the order of Lord Zeus himself." I said as I shot Astraea an angry glare. She just stared back at me with a slight smirk on her face.
"Alright lets get back to work here. What do we do?" Aether asked.
"A good question, I have an idea." Athena said.
"What else is new?" Apollo asked sarcastically. Athena shot him the death glare, I saw his face pale before her glare.
"The commander will tell you what they are doing, but I believe that we need to send some guardians to camp." Athena said. She motioned for me to talk first, except I was shocked with her plan to send guardians to camp. I finally broke my gaze with her and addressed the rest of the council.
"I have my forensic teams analyzing data from the scene of the explosion and our intelligence team is working overtime on trying to pinpoint the Hand's local cell location. We should assume if the spy is correct that the cell has established a new base somewhere closer to their target." I said. I hit a control on the table and a three dimensional map of the metropolitan area of New York floated in the middle of the table. I zoomed in on Camp Half Blood and the surrounding area. "We have focused our search on Long Island and Brooklyn. These are the closest areas to camp, they would make the most likely locations for the cell's new base." Everyone nodded at me even Astraea.
"Let's get back to sending guardians to camp, won't that expose the existence of the guardians and this council?" Nike asked. A very good question.
"It would, but I'm afraid the enemy already knows of the guardians existence." Athena said.
"How?" I asked.
"It appears that the Hand has a spy within our midst as well." Athena said.
"What, this is the first I heard of this, Athena why tell me here and now." I was struggling to hold back my anger now. Everyone around the room looked surprised and just a little scared. Their faces gave me pause and I closed my eyes and concentrated, the anger subsided slowly. "I'm sorry" I could see Apollo and Aether sigh in relief, even Athena looked relieved.
"Our spy just told Lord Zeus this morning and I wanted to tell you here in the council chamber, we know this room is sound proof and no one can eavesdrop in here." Athena said, it was logical of course. I felt a little ashamed of my outburst.
"So who do you plan to send to camp?" Aether asked. He looked first at me and then to Athena.
"I haven't discussed this with the commander yet, but Lord Zeus suggested that the commander himself go." Athena said. I looked at her in surprise. "He wants the best there to protect camp."
"I guess I can't turn down the King of the gods now can I?" I asked rhetorically. Everyone around the table smiled. "If he wants the best than I suggest that we send Lieutenant Di Angelo as well"
"I agree." Athena said.
"Who will be in charge here until the commander and the Lieutenant return?" Nike asked.
"I will take temporary command until the commander or Lieutenant return." Athena said.
"Isn't that a little unusual?" Nike asked. I was thinking the same thing.
"More than a little." Apollo said. Athena gave her brother another death glare, but this time Apollo just gave her a bright smile. I thought it amusing and I could tell by the look on Athena's face that she did as well.
"There is no one available who knows the council and the guardians better than I." Athena said. She had a good point as usual.
"OK, I make a motion that we send myself and Lieutenant Di Angelo to Camp Half Blood and while we are gone Athena will assume command of the guardians in my absence." I said.
"I second that motion." Nike said.
"All those in favor?" Athena asked. Everyone raised their hand. "The motion passes unanimously, this meeting is adjourned." I was the first one out of the council chamber. I walked back to my office. I stopped in front of the young half blood at the desk outside my office, he was probably sixteen and he was fresh from camp, I think his name was Brandon, a son of Nike I believe.
"Brandon, please contact Lieutenant Di Angelo, I need to see him ASAP." I said.
"Yes, sir." Brandon said as I walked back into my office. I sat down at my desk and just stared straight ahead, I wasn't worried about our secret now. If Zeus and Athena were OK with the secret of the guardians getting out then who am I to question. The real thought that wouldn't leave my mind was the revelation that we had a spy in our midst. Who was it? How long have they been spying on us?
AN: Next chapter: Return to Camp