Author's Note: Fair warning: this one's going to be long. Probably could have made it shorter but I didn't. Anyway, thanks for reading if your continue and please review!
David
Have you ever ridden in the shotgun seat of a car that can drive itself? I can't say that a lot of people have but what I can say is it's a little nerve racking. Being thrown to one side or the other with nothing to hold onto but the dash or the armrest. The seat belt was the only thing keeping me in the seat. I trusted Big Luke's driving over KATE, the computer's.
The Charger weaved its way through the city to a tall, fifteen-story parking structure. KATE drove herself to the floor just below the roof and parked in between a Suburban and a Accord. The Accord was slightly double-parked, so KATE just pushed it back to split the lines. She parked so the tail section of the car stuck out the back of the spot, at least more than it usually did. I opened the door and moved back towards the trunk.
The Barrett M107 is a semi-automatic, .50 caliber sniper rifle. It's predecessor is the famed M82 which was ground breaking when it was new. It was the only rifle at the time that could reduce the recoil of the .50 BMG round. The M107 is an updated version that is lighter and more reliable.
Just because it was lighter than the M82, doesn't mean that it still isn't really fucking heavy.
The M107 that Big Luke built had a 28 inch barrel, the stock bipod, and a large magnification scope. The scope had like 30X magnification and was dialed in to the T. The whole thing was painted in a desert tan color and the muzzle break was the size of a grapefruit. It was the Alpha Dog of all sniper rifles.
I hefted the thing over to the low wall which I was going to use as a rest to support the weight of the rifle. I leaned the weapon up against the wall with my M110 and walked back over to the trunk to grab a mag or two. Big Luke had made up these extra-high-capacity magazines for the M107, each one held 20 rounds over the standard 10. These particular mags were loaded up with Celestial Bronze cased ammunition. I looked at the first round. The thing looked like it could go through six elephant's asses and still kill the guy hiding behind them.
"Watch my six, KATE," I said as I walked back over to the rifle.
"Affirmative," KATE responded as I shoved a mag into the magwell of the M107.
I grabbed the charging handle and pulled it back the some eight inches to the back of the receiver and released it. The bolt picked up the first round and slammed it into the chamber with so much force that the rifle shook. I lifted the weapon up and set it up on the wall. I left the bipod up because I'm short and I wouldn't be able to shoulder the rifle once I knelt down behind the wall.
I gripped at the rifle and pushed it hard into my shoulder. I got a good cheek weld and closed my left eye. What I saw through the scope was something that made my throat catch slightly. My cabin were fighting for their lives. However, they weren't attacking the enemy like Big Luke would have done. They had set up what was called a fighting retreat which is exactly as it sounds, they were engaging the enemy as they fell back.
My eye was caught to an overturned school bus. I saw my half brother, Michael Yew, talking with Percy and Annabeth. All I saw was Annabeth's and Michael's backs, but I could read Percy's lips.
"For now, we're it," he said. They must have been talking about reinforcements. I guess he hadn't seen Big Luke and Brandon down there.
Annabeth asked Michael something then Michael talked for a bit.
"Well at least you tried." I didn't know what they were talking about. I had heard of some beef about a chariot that I wasn't really concerned about in the first place.
Michael shot his last sonic arrow and then they discussed some more. It was looking like Percy was going to create a diversion while Annabeth and Michael got the campers (And probably the remaining two-thirds of the Strike Team) into defensive positions. Percy turned towards Annabeth.
"Don't I get a kiss for luck? It's kind of a tradition, right?" he asked her.
Annabeth pulled her knife but, to my surprise, she didn't stab him. She told him something but I couldn't read her lips. I figured it was something along the lines of "Just come back safe". It was probably close to something Brittany would say to Big Luke.
Percy stepped out to face the Minotaur that was commanding the army of dracaenae on the bridge. He taunted the beast for a bit then they went at it. Of course, Percy won by tossing the man-cow over the side to the water below.
The friendly demigods started their assault on the enemy line. But they got overextended. I increased the magnification on the scope of the M107 and peered farther down the bridge only to see a purple flag with a scythe on it. They were walking into a trap.
I immediately got on my radio: "Hawkeye to Red 5: you guys are kicking ass right into a trap. Kronos himself has a demigod army at the end of the bridge. How copy?"
"Good copy, Hawkeye. Enemy reinforcements at the end of the bridge." was the reply from Big Luke just before I heard his rifle going off in a short burst. "You get that, Brandon?"
That was a transmission from Big Luke to Brandon. He wanted him to go tell Annabeth to warn Percy. He was also a spawn of Athena so she might listen to him.
Brandon eventually made his way up next to Annabeth and gave her the message. He was accidentally holding down his push-to-talk button on his radio.
"Annabeth. They got reinforcements on the other side of the bridge. You gotta tell Percy. He wont listen to me or anybody else from my team," he told her.
"Where are you getting this?" she asked in return.
"We got a sniper a ways back feeding us the intel. He's one Hades of a shot but he and us can't hold them off forever."
"OK. I'll let him know," she responded. "And Brandon?"
"Yeah?"
"I don't care what kind of beef you guys and Percy have with each other but I appreciate what you do. You probably almost made this war winnable."
Almost winnable?
"Yeah, well..." that's when the button was released on his radio and I was cut off from the conversation.
The fighting continued. I tracked Annabeth through my scope as she moved her way to Percy's side and gave him the news. Percy didn't realize she was right until it was too late. The demigod calvary started their attack. That's when I started engaging with the M107. It kicked only a little harder than my M110. I shot at horses mainly. They were bigger targets and were moving anyway. It looked like Brandon was doing the same but Big Luke had no problem shooting the demigods right off their horses. Of course, they were a lot closer than I was. I was close to a half mile away.
Two summers ago, Big Luke worked for Kronos' army. It was Luke Castellan leading them then. Castellan promised him the location of his step-dad and step-brother who conspired with each other in the murder of his mom. They made Big Luke give intelligence about Camp Half-Blood and made him rob banks to help fund the war.
Then Castellan tried to kill him.
He had a personal vendetta against all and any of Kronos' forces. Demigods or otherwise. He once described this picture that he put in his head before engaging a target. He said if a demigod worked for Kronos, he or she was no longer a person of any kind. He only referred to them as "It". He said that the thing in his sights wanted to kill him and the people he loved. It wanted nothing more than to see him in turmoil. It was a follower of Genghis Khan and would rape and pillage everything without mercy. It was a rabid animal and it needed to be put down. It was covered in a filthy mane and green, venomous slime dripped from its teeth. It was ugly and it smelled funny.(If anyone gets this reference, PM me and I'll let you know if you're right.)
All of a sudden, I heard KATE's tires squeal as she backed up in Reverse. I was startled by the sound so I dropped the M107. It fell out of the parking structure and into a tree. Fuck! I dropped to one knee as I grabbed my M110 and dropped back behind the suburban. I shouldered the weapon and drew a bead on a flabbergasted merc who was staring at his buddy who was pinned between KATE and a minivan. I switched my rifle off safety and squeezed a few rounds off into him.
He fell down and I moved up to put a single round in the merc that was pinned between KATE and the minivan before he lifted his MP5 to shoot me. He slumped over onto KATE's deck lid.
"Holy shit. KATE, you saved my life," I mumbled as my hands were shaking.
"No need to thank me," KATE replied.
"I need to get that gun back though," I said. "Hawkeye to Red 5: I just got spooked by a couple of PMC. KATE and I eliminated the threat but I uh... dropped the M107 out of the building," I relayed the Big Luke.
"Copy your last. Are you OK?" he asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just nearly shit myself. That's all," I replied.
That's when I looked out to the bridge with my M110 up against my shoulder. I looked towards the middle of the bridge where Kronos and Percy were duking it out. Percy knocked the scyth out from Kronos' hand but it flew right back. Then Percy stuck his sword into the bridge and collapsed the middle of the bridge. I watched as Michael Yew fell to his death in the river. I stomped my foot as Percy answered a cell phone. He gave some orders to the Apollo campers then hopped on a motorcycle. He took off with Will Solace on the back seat.
"Alright. Don't sweat the rifle man. It's good that you're alright. That's what matters." was the reply. "Go ahead, link up with KATE and then double time it to our POS. And David?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm sorry about Michael. He was a good kid." Big Luke's tone was sincere.
"It's war. Shit happens." was the only thing I could think to say.
I walked back to KATE and climbed back into the shotgun seat. I closed the door and she started driving out of the parking structure. She stopped by the tree that I dropped the rifle into. It had fallen out of the branches onto the sidewalk. I stepped out and picked up the M107.
It had a couple scuffs and scratches but the rifle itself was still in working condition. The scope was busted though. The shattered lenses were all over the concrete. It was toast.
KATE popped the trunk and I placed the rifle back in its spot on the backside of the rear seat. Then I climbed back in the shotgun seat after closing the trunk and KATE took off. I reloaded my M110 in the seat. We started this thing with roughly forty campers, plus the Hunters of Artemis, against the gods only knew how many. How many would come back if we won? Thirty? Twenty?
KATE and I eventually made our way back to what was left of the Williamsburg Bridge. Several of the Apollo campers were searching for Michael. I had the urge to look too, but I had a feeling that it would be no use. Big Luke and Brandon were assisting some of the wounded and pulling sleeping mortals out of burning cars. When Big Luke saw KATE, he finished bandaging up the camper he was working on and walked over.
He was scraped up a little bit. There was a arrow sticking through his left arm but I didn't think he noticed. He was busy making sure others were taken care of before he looked himself over.
"Look, David, I understand if you wanna stay behind and help look for him. I won't blame you if you do," he said after I climbed out.
"Fuck no," I replied, getting out of the car and leaning up against the fender. "I'm going with you. I'm more use kicking ass rather than searching."
"Sounds good to me," Big Luke replied. "C'mon, Percy's got everyone rendezvousing at the Plaza Hotel. I think we should head back there and help where ever we can. Maybe get some shuteye for a little bit."
"This is going really fucking hurt," I replied, walking up to his left shoulder to help him treat his wound. "I'm going to push the arrow all the way through and when we get to the Plaza Hotel, I'll finish it."
"Oh shit. Forgot about that," Big Luke mentioned, turning his head to see the shaft sticking out of his arm. "Just do it fast, like a band-aid."
I gripped the shaft of the arrow about five inches from the entrance wound. I tried to shove the arrow farther in as straight as possible. I didn't want to break it while it was still in his arm, that wouldn't be good. More of Big Luke's blood squirted out into his BDU sleeve. Big Luke himself, gritted his teeth and made this growling sound in his throat.
"In pain yet?" I asked sarcastically.
"Mmhmm," answered Big Luke through pursed lips. "Wrap it up good and we'll get the fuck out of here."
I looked in KATE's medical kit which was hidden under the seat on the passenger side. Only the bottom lifted up on hinges to reveal a bunch of bandages and wraps and other things that help to heal wounds. I grabbed a long roll of bandage and a piece of ambrosia. I offered Big Luke the ambrosia first but he refused it. "After we get the arrow out." he said. I reached back in through the window and dropped the godly food back into the seat. Then I started wrapping around the arrow in a figure-eight pattern. I wrapped it until the blood stopped bleeding through all the layers. Then I cut the remaining portion of the roll off and tucked the tail back into the wrapping.
"Is Brittany going to be pissed?" I asked.
"I hope she's too busy napping to notice."
"I could subscribe to a good nap," Brandon put in, taking off a set off bloody, rubber gloves after assisting another wounded camper as he walked towards us. He too had some scraped and scratches like Big Luke, but no serious injuries.
The three of us loaded up and drove to the Plaza Hotel. I wasn't sure what was going through my teammates minds but I was just glad to get a break. I passed out in the back seat of the Charger. Big Luke wasn't driving too erratically so a short power nap felt good. I think Brandon fell asleep too.
Ever since Big Luke and I were at Westover hall a while back, I've been having these nightmares about when we were outside in the snow. I was laying prone in my giant parka and ghillie suit. My M110 was butt up against my shoulder and my cheek was dug into the stock, the barrel and front were supported by the bipod. The dream felt so real that I was actually freezing and and shivering, just like I had that day. I had my left eye lightly closed as I peered through the scope with my right eye.
I watched as the manticore thrashed around with Annabeth on its back. Thalia and Percy were still on the ground staring in shock and the Hunters had their bows drawn, trying to find a decent shot like I was. Big Luke had already given me the go-ahead to shoot if I had the chance. I had several versions of the dream, all with different outcomes including the actual event. Some good, others not so much. Tonight was one of those not so good outcomes.
I eventually got to that point where the manticore turned its shoulder and tossed Annabeth out of the line of fire for a split second. I had the slack pulled out of the trigger already and pulled it all the way back into the receiver. The gun went off with a quiet BANG! I watched as the round flew straight as an arrow at the manticore's shoulder but at the last instant, the manticore turned and brought Annabeth back into the bullet's trajectory. The round passed through the manticore and made it explode in dust and smoke. Then I saw something that I had seen in several other versions. Annabeth's chest exploded in a big splash of red blood. I had succeeded in killing the manticore but my Celestial Bronze round could still harm the demigod.
Immediately, Percy ran to her side and watched as she took her last breaths here on Earth. I had the same dream before but the shock never got old. My heart sank every time I pulled that trigger with someone getting hurt. I just laid there motionless as Big Luke hauled me to my feet and we started running for the car through the woods. Every sound in the woods seemed to come to a halt. Nothing, not even the crunch of our feet in the snow, made its way to my brain. It wasn't shell-shock from my rifle, it was the fact that I had just killed a fellow demigod that was on our side.
The only sound that did register in my brain was when we made it to the car and Big Luke turned around right in my face. He started yelling at me but his tone and his words didn't match the crazy and pissed off look in his eyes.
"Dude, we're here," he said and I woke up.
I opened my eyes and Big Luke had the front seat of the Charger folded forward and he was looking at me with a puzzled look on his face. Everything in front of me seemed to be rolled over on its side, but then I realized it was just me laying down in the back seat of the car so I sat up. Big Luke wasn't screaming at me or mad in anyway at all.
"You alright?" he asked.
"Yeah. Fine," I replied. "Let's go inside."
I climbed out of the back seat of the Charger where Brandon had the trunk lid open. He pulled out some cleaning kits so we could maintain our weapons. At least the braniac's mind is thinking straight, I though to myself as we walked inside.