"A plan? What kind of plan?"

"Really Leo? A plan to make marshmallow fudge brownies."

"Really? I've never-"

"A plan to escape you dimwit!"

"Hey!"

I roll my eyes and look at the huge metal cage containing us. Before I could do anything, the giant comes back, and carries us away.

"Hey! What're you doing? Stop-"

"Sistra, you know that won't help, right?"

"It's worth a shot."

"Of course it is."

"You say that as if it isn't."

"Cause it isn't!"

"Really? Well-"

"WILL YOU TWO IDIOTS SHUT YOUR MOUTHS!?"

I stare at him, then say "You didn't say please."

"Oh, sorry Princess Dirt Face, please SHUT YOUR MOUTHS!"

"Better."

He grumbles, and puts us down. Before I can get a proper look at the room, he puts a bed sheet over the cage. It goes pitch black, but Leo quickly creates a flame on his hand. I try to lift the sheet, but it's really heavy.

"Okay then. Now, back to my plan-"

"You had a plan? And you didn't even tell me…"

"Okay Leo, right now isn't really a good time to joke around."

"Fine, Miss Dirt Face…"

I walk over to slap him, but he has enough sense to back up.

"Don't call me Dirt Face…" My voice is filled with rage, and Leo understands not to push this any further, or else he's screwed.

"Now, please don't talk. I need to concentrate."

I hold two of the bars, and I'm thinking C'mon metal, budge! It seems to listen to my thoughts, 'cause the bars are slowly breaking. Soon, I made a small passageway.

"May not first class, but it's the perfect way to escape."

"Why didn't you tell me you had superhuman powers? It's like you're human 2.0…"

"I have a thing with metal, remember?"

"Don't show off."

"Hey look at me, with me special metal powers!"

"Shut up."

"You can control fire. And you're complaining about metal?"

"Yup."

"C'mon, let's get out of here."

We walk towards the opening, but Leo stops.

"What gives? I'm pretty sure you can fit, considering your size…"

"You're not tall yourself."

"Whatever. Why'd you stop?"

"There's a huge bed sheet covering the exit."

"Leave that to me."

I walk towards the exit, and pull out one of my knives from my sleeve.

"You keep knives-"

"Will you shut up for two seconds? You're just like my alarm clock without the snooze button. Very, very, very annoying."

I cut open a hole and sunlight streams through the hole.

"I'll check if we're not on a cliff. You've done enough Sistra."

He pokes his head out of the hole, and he gets pulled out.

"LEO!"

I look out of the hole and I get pulled out too. I land on the ground, and I find Leo.

"Are you okay Leo?"

"After falling a cliff, I'm doing great."

"It's actually a table." I point at the four legs.

"Such a big difference. Let's get out of- Sistra!"

I stumble around, my mind feeling slurry, and I fall. I look at Leo who caught me, but I can't hear him. I feel my conscience falling, I focus on words that he say, but I lose my conscience. The thing I remember is Leo saying one word: die.

"You haven't chosen your side yet."

"Mom! Please, don't make me do this."

"Tell me now. Who are you? Are you my daughter? Or are you a traitor?"

I hesitate, then I say "I am Sistra Ives, daughter of Gaea, but protecting Camp Half-Blood. No matter what my mother says, or threatens, I will, and always, stick with my camp."

"You have chosen your path. Such a shame. Now your death with that flame headed boy-"

'Wait, you mean Leo?"

"Yes. You both shall die, but yours shall be less gruesome. But for your punishment, you shall watch the boy you love the most die in front of you.

"You don't mean…"

"Yes, I do. You shall see Leo-"

"NO! I won't….this can't…"

"I can tell he's the reason you chose the other side. He must suffer. And that shall be your punishment."

"I…I'll…..I'll prove you wrong."

"Really? How?"

"He won't die. And I won't either."

"Good luck with that."

I step towards Gaea, but the world disappears.

"Sistra, please wake up!"

My eyes flutter, and I try to open my eyes. I can't tell where we are, but the only light source is Leo, and his flames.

"Thank the gods you're alive. Don't you ever do that."

"W-what happened? Where are we?"

"We're in a cupboard. I had to drag you in here, or else the giant would've spotted us."

"He came back?"

"Yeah. You kept muttering in your sleep, so I knew you were still alive. Why are you staring at me like that?"

"Well, when I was asleep, I saw my mother."

"Gaea?"

"Yes. She asked me whose side I was on, and I said…"

"What did you say? Are you with Gaea?"

"I said I was with Camp Half-Blood."

"That's good."

"But she said to punish me for choosing the wrong side, she's going to…to…"

"To what?"

"Oh Leo, she said she'll kill the one I love right in front of me!"

"By the gods. That's bad for him…"

"Why are you happy?"

"I'm not happy."

"Don't try to lie with me. I can tell if you're lying."

"Err…"

"Forget it."

"So…who's going to die?"

I shoot him a look.

"What? I just want to know…"

"No one's going to die. C'mon, let's get out of here."

"Are you going to faint again?"

"Do you want me to faint?"

"No, let's just get out."

I check if the coast is clear, then we get out. We run across the floor, and I stop him.

"Do you have your tool belt with you?"

"Well, actually-"

"GET TO THE POINT!"

"Yes, I have it! Jeez man…"

"Okay, I need you to get a large bottle of perfume. Killer Queen, preferably."

"Wait, why do we need perfume?"

"Just do it."

"But-"

"Gods, how does the camp survive with you?"

"Fine. No need for the offensive comments."

"Hurry up. And it's a question, not a comment."

"Whatever."

He hands me a large bottle of perfume, and it's lemon citrus.

"Not my favourite, but it'll have to do."

I spray the whole room, and as I suspected, there's lasers.

"Great. Now what do we do?"

"Leo, seriously, use your brain."

"Okay, fine."

"How about this: You make a plan, and I'll carry it out."

"Sounds good. Let's see…"

He looks around, and I start to play with my hair.

"What're you doing Sistra?"

"Waiting for you to make a plan."

"I've got it. See that control panel?" He points at this HUGE control panel, and I nod.

"Perfect. You dodge all the lasers, and open it with your human 2.0 powers."

I punch his arm, but he's unfazed.

"Then you do exactly what I say. Ready? Go!"

I roll under the first laser, and then I jump over the next one.

"Go Sistra! Hurry up! We don't have all day! Come on, why are you so-"

"The next time I see you, I'm going to punch you so hard, you'll see stars."

I finally reach the end of the lasers, and I strain to open the panel.

"It's useless Sistra."

"SHUT UP!"

"I didn't say anything!"

I look at him, and he looks a bit hurt.

"Not you. It was mother. She was in my head."

"I'll always haunt you, for betraying me."

"Sistra? You're pale. Please don't pass out again."

"My own daughter. Betray me. I'll always be ashamed to even hear your voice. But you can still turn around, and join our force. I need you."

"I'LL NEVER JOIN YOU!"

"Sistra calm down!"

"Join us…join us…..join us….."

"SISTRA NOT THAT WIRE!"

I cut the blue one, and Leo runs across towards me, as the floor beneath him crumbles. Soon, he's beside me.

"What happened?"

"I-I- it was Gaea. She's messing with my mind. She's driving me mad-"

"But you already are."

This time, the voice isn't in my head. Leo can hear it too. But we don't know who it is.

"Sistra…?"

"Yes….she was never normal. ADHD and had mental issues. Never trust a mental person…"

"I'm not mental!"

"A person who's been to countless asylums saying they're not crazy? Lies…"

"Whoever you are, Sistra's not crazy."

"Why are you defending her, Leo Valdez? This is not your fight… unless Sistra keeps her wish."

Before I could say anything, I sense that the giant is approaching.

"Leo, we need to leave. The giant-"

"-Is here."

I spin around, and Leo and I are picked up again.

"You two! How did you escape?"

"Well, Sistra-"

"I used my wits, and picked the lock!"

"Well, I'll put you in the same room as the other prisoners."

Other prisoners? I look over at Leo, who has the same thought: Who are they?

He puts us in another cage, but instead of together, he puts me in one cage and Leo in another. I look at my neighbouring cage and nearly pass out. Piper's in it. She's also passed out, and Leo's about 3 cages away. I look around, and I see armour, swords and helmets. A training area. I break the bars again, and try to wake up Piper.

"Pssssst, Piper. Wake up."

She doesn't even move. I think for a moment.

"Hey Piper, if you don't wake up, Jason's gonna die."

That does the trick. She wakes up, and mumbles "Have to save Jason."

"I was just kidding Piper. He's alright. I think."

"No, they're going to kill him."

By this time, she's fully awake.

"What? C'mon, I'm going to bust you out of here."

"No."

She says it so firmly, I stop.

"Chiron says you must do this. Not with me, at least."

"Why not?"

"Some prophecy says you can't. I can't remember it, but I can't help. I'm sorry."

"Can I have any help?"

"Just one person can help. But there's no one else here but you and me."

"Actually, Leo's right over there."

I point to him, and he pretends to be cheerful, and he waves.

"You should bring him with you."

"Thanks. Wait, how come you're here?"

"Jason and I were sent to save you. We jumped into the abyss, and the ground was surprisingly soft. We knew you guys survived because we heard you scream. You know you're screams are really loud, right?

" Gee, thanks. Well, I've got to go. Thanks again! Wait, shouldn't I free you?"

"I've got it. Now go!"

I go towards Leo's cage, and he says "Now you remember me."

"Whatever. Let me break these bars."

I break them, and we leap out.

"Now, let's save a friend."

"But you barely know him."

"I barely know you, but you're still a friend."

"You're so kind."

"Yes, I am."

"WILL YOU TWO JUST LEAVE!?" We turn to see Piper, and her expression tells us to leave.

"Leo?"

"Yeah?"

"We need to go."

"Yup."

We go to the armour, and pick out the ones that fit us best.

"Leo, you look really fat in that armour."

"WHAT? Well, you look monstrous with that shotgun."

"REALLY? How about I shoot you to a pulp?"

"Oh, it's-"

"GUYS!"

We turn again to see Piper, and she's literally trying to throw rocks at us.

"Leo?"

"Yeah?"

"Let's go."

We look for an exit, till I say "Oh screw this." And make another tunnel.

"Okay, Sistra, you're freaking me out with these tunnels."

"If I'm freaking you out about tunnels, does that mean you have tunnel phobia?"

"No, it's just that-"

"Someone's coming. Hide!"

I climb the walls of the tunnel, then make my hands stick to the ceiling, and my feet stick too. Leo can't find any hiding spots, so a make a hiding room for him. He goes inside, and it acts like an elevator. He goes up until he's beside me. His elevator turns to mud, but he's stuck in the same position as I am.

"Sistra, do you know how uncomfortable this is?"

"Yes I do, because I'm in the same position."

"Yeah, well-"

"Shhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

A hand comes down, trying to find us.

I give a look, trying to say don't talk! But he doesn't get the message.

"Sistra, what-" he whispers, but it's just enough for the giant. The hand reaches for us, and grabs us.

"You just had to talk."

"It wasn't my fault!"

"I tried to tell you not to talk, but no, you just had to talk."

"You didn't tell me!"

"Yes I did! Remember-"

"SILENCE! Both of you just shut up!"

"You didn't say-"

"PLEASE! Please just SHUT UP!"

We both shut up.

"That's better. Say hi to your friend!"

He puts us in another cage, but there's one problem. It's wooden.