-Kyra Teal-
"Can we just not have a Starr stick their noses into everything?" Menshikov snarls in annoyance.
Her annoyance with them still confuses me, but I manage a small smile anyway as a response. After all, Sadie was in this scrying as well, and she seems fine all things considered. Well, as fine as they can be after I just told them the information Trevor brought me.
"I do feel like I owe him, he rescued Kurtz."
If rescue is the word to be using, I guess. Max informed my healers that Sebastian had seized in the shed when they had managed to break in. He did it again when my best healer had rushed to tell me that he has clear brain damage from the impacts made, along with some broken ribs.
I asked if they would be able to fix him up. She had inhaled and refused to answer my question verbally. My own best healer, who typically can fix shattered bones in three days, with no confidence in her abilities on this. "Maria would be able to," as she runs back to being summoned.
"He was foolish to stand against the Per Ankh," Vika adds. "However, I'll state slight jealousy in his confidence." Right, she had been in a similar situation with Kwai and Jacobi taking over the Russian Nome.
"I'm hoping you two have good news to share," I try to make myself not sound desperate.
Vika snorts in acknowledgement to me knowing that Sadie hadn't listened at all and managed to join her. Sadie can't help but pipe in with protest, moving closer to the scry now. "Hey, how did you-"
"You're a Kane," I huff in annoyance at having to explain this. "You really think I wouldn't know? After dealing with my cousins causing trouble and now you and your brother?" I hesitate a moment. "White contacted me to let me know you did not enter his territory, and your grandfather threatened him when he inquired with them."
Sadie pales a bit at that. "Is that the Harry guy?"
"Harry White is the Nome Leader of London, yes." I clarify. She must have dealt with him in the past if she was able to name him.
"I'll make sure to apologize to him later then," Sadie finalizes. "We're heading to the rift."
My eyes narrow at that in confusion, but Vika inhales before delving into what they have so far. Chief Lector Iskandar had been more than happy to supply Vika with the information we needed on the enemy we have lurking within Camp Jupiter. I'm alarmed when Sadie mentions Caroline of all people, let alone as if she's just a relative with no serious ties to anything like a museum explosion. Julius' distraught behavior to dismiss the idea of his little brother having been killed, but Ruby is smart enough to work around her husband's emotions.
But, in the end, Amos is dead. The grief I've been shoving down is twisting the knife already in my heart. I take a moment to steady myself before thanking them for the update so far. Sadie moves on, and I thank Vika again for being a leading force for answers in all of this.
She waves it off, peering around her before leaning closer. "You'll need to find out whatever it is that Whittaker felt she needed to silence Kurtz for. The abuse you described, that's a sign of someone not wanting something to get out. Otherwise, she could have just had him killed."
I swallow that information down. I hadn't even told her the effects of his injuries. "He mentioned Amos before seizing," I bring up.
She takes a moment to process what I just told her. That she's on to something. If Sebastian does know something, then Mel might have been successful in her efforts. "I know you've been hoping Whittaker hadn't done anything serious. This is that sign, Kyra. I suggest you follow it."
That might mean leaving my post as Nome Leader of Seattle. I dismiss the thought for later. "There's more, Trevor and Floyd believe that Mel is hosting."
Vika's gaze narrows as she processes that. "I trust that should be information handed to our Pharaoh?"
"I doubt he'll listen to me." He hadn't listened when I told him war shouldn't even be considered. Now Mel has aggressively taken over a nome on his orders. "There's a strong chance she'll label me as a traitor now too."
Vika seems annoyed by the whole situation now. "I'm going to hold on hope that there's something within Carter that holds on to his uncle's beliefs. However," she digs for something in her pockets, then proceeds to speak angrily in Russian before facing me again. "Sorry, I just realized I've been short on cigars."
"I know things are getting desperate. You're starting to question who you can trust again. Just don't lose hope in people. I've been jealous of your cousin for it."
While her words are meant to be well intended, it still stung to hear them. I hold back tears as I take in the Chief Architect's serious expression. "He was pretty good at it, wasn't he?" I joke through the grief in my voice.
She knows just as well as I do. He held faith in her despite everything from rumor mills and her brother's aggression. It's why she has the position she does now. Took me too long to understand why, see behind the curtain of their façade up until last year.
"Keep safe, Teal." Vika goes to end this talk.
"You too," I say quickly, earning myself an understanding look in her gaze before her image disappears in the oil.
I tried to sleep but found myself tossing and turning on the bed with worry spinning wildly in my head. So many concerns all at once, and the confirmation of my cousin's death is an added cherry on top. The one person I was able to turn to express my concerns is gone, and the void in his place feels so cold and unwelcoming.
Suppressed tears are welling up, but I get up and decide to dig for information on Maria. Because what good is it to dwell on these emotions when I have work on my hands? The last I heard of Cairo's head healer was that she had successfully managed to evacuate her students along with their patients before Gaea had swallowed the nome with the Chief Lector still inside.
Maria had been the lead in assisting Amos with his healing after Set's possession, with strict orders from Desjardins to keep it all confidential. From what I understood, they weren't even certain if they could help him. But they had, though maybe not in the way they had hoped.
She of course hasn't come back to Cairo due to it being rebuilt. After some digging, I found that the nome she hails from is Peru, though she hadn't returned since being given a teaching role until more than a year ago. While relieved knowing where she potentially is, I'm reminded that the Nome Leader isn't exactly friendly.
If there's something I've most certainly learned, nothing worth doing is simple. I know Maria wouldn't turn away a patient, she would take on care of Sebastian once made aware. Brayan would immediately turn us over once he understands that Kurtz is now labeled a traitor to the Per Ankh thanks to Mel. He's in hot water with Pharaoh as it is, he would attempt to get into better graces with him, and what's better politically than providing that kind of information?
Taking my anger out in the gym on the punching bag, I've decided I'll be content with the label of traitor as well. How many times had Amos been considered one for siding with his brother and sister-in-law? With the risk of his niece and nephew being either captured or killed on sight?
I stop the bag from swinging and put my forehead against it to brace myself. I laugh a little at the irony that now that my cousin is gone, I'm plotting to uphold the stupid Kane role of betraying the Per Ankh for reasons I know are worth it. My cousins would rub off on me.
The door squeaks and I'm alert again but calm when I notice my guest is just Trevor Starr. "Sorry, I saw the punching bag earlier. Should have known you'd be using it this late."
I move away from the bag and offer for him to use it. "It's three in the morning, I'm usually sleeping," I explain quickly as he hesitates to approach.
He nods in understanding to that, but only approaches rather than using the bag to take out all the frustration like I just had. "Kate and Abby turned up, with their stupid ice cream they tried to offer to Max and I." Trevor scoffs at the idea of it. "Your healers are eating it."
"Oh, I will talk to-"
Trevor gestures with his hand to stop the apology for their behavior. "I offered it to them. They're working their asses off trying to keep Kurtz stable."
I relax some to that, "Thank you, I'm certain they appreciate the gesture."
He nods, but his eyes are still taking me in. "So, what's the plan, Sis?"
I give a pained huff to that. Because I don't have a detailed plan, at least not like Amos probably would have by now. "My healers can't help him."
Trevor nods in understanding of that. "So, you're plotting to find someone that can?"
I hesitate but nod in response. "You remember Maria?"
He takes a moment before his eyes light up some. "She's still around? Crazy, she's up in age too."
"People don't typically fight healers," I point out. "She was the one assigned to heal Amos after his possession."
Trevor sighs to that, "I doubt she believes she was successful in that department."
I nod in agreement, "There's a lot of mental hoops in that territory. And she's the best healer the Per Ankh has." I hesitate a moment again, sighing as I swing my arms a bit. "I'm planning to take Sebastian to Peru to see her. Vika and I think Mel had tried to silence him. If anyone can help, it's Maria."
"Peru? I don't imagine Palacios will be very welcoming," Trevor points out, taking in that I already know that. "Political suicide though?"
"My cousins were never afraid of it," I remind.
"Yeah, but that's because their family name is the greater evil in that equation." Trevor points out. "And I can't exactly blame Julius for turning his back on the House for his kids."
"At this point, Starr, it's either I join you in your movement with Sabat, or I try to get Sebastian help." I stop to force the tears down before continuing. "The fact is, Mel attacked one of ours. I can't let her get away with that."
Trevor exhales in heavy acceptance of the subject. "You're okay with your extended family believing you are the enemy now?"
I shake my head at that immediately. "If there's something I have learned, is that sometimes being viewed as the bad guy isn't exactly the worst position to be in."
Trevor takes a moment before nodding to that. "Pretty fucked up lesson, isn't it?"
I snort at that, "Yeah, but freeing."
Trevor swallows that down before nodding. "I'll miss having you around, you would have been helpful on the front line on this."
I take a deep breath as Trevor appears to want to leave me with the punching bag. "I need to let you in as to what we've been up to."
He hesitates, but takes in my expression and walks the few feet he had back. "I've been working with the Chief Architect on trying to find Amos. Mel's story wasn't adding up, and we've found missing parts of her story. I was just told that Amos is gone tonight."
Trevor appears curious about where I'm going with this but clears his throat. "You thought he might still be alive?"
I swallow but nod. "Vika managed to get in contact with someone within Camp Jupiter. Someone was threatening them, so they left. Mel didn't mention that in her report, just said they had been attacked and that he passed on in the back of the car she was driving."
"Vika just met with Chief Lector Iskandar." I hesitate a bit but talk myself into spilling what he had told her. Tell him about the true enemy we have within that camp. That he was demanding information on an apprentice of Iskandar's. All while also apparently trying to break into the Roman afterlife to look for Amos.
Trevor isn't exactly happy to hear all this, but digests it about as well as anyone can expect. "Thank the gods, I was worried Mel was right. I was concerned I was going to be defending kids that wanted Amos dead."
"This war that Carter is edging towards," I hesitate a moment. "I told him he shouldn't, I told him that Amos would be upset if he knew that his death meant his work meant nothing."
"Richa Khatri all over again." Trevor seems surprised by the confused look on my face. "Uh, I take it your cousins didn't mention what happened before Amos ended up exiling Jabari?"
Honestly, no. But at the time, I was just glad to have them back safely and that Uncle Jabari was no longer welcome within the Kane Mansion. I never thought to ask what had happened to trigger it all. "Did he tell you?" I can't help but inquire.
Trevor takes a bit longer than I like to answer, "No."
I'm getting the impression he is lying, but he switches the topic before I can pressure him to properly answer. "I'll ask my old man if he knows anything about Iskandar having an apprentice. Do we, uh, know exactly where this demi-magician sits comparably to Carter and Sadie?"
I didn't consider this, and I chose to dismiss the idea. "He's more powerful than Iskandar, I'd say."
Trevor nods, mostly in understanding that there is no answer to his question yet. "Hit me up if you need help, yeah? No matter how dangerous."
I doubt I will, but I nod to the question in his gaze. He leaves the gym, and I catch myself stuck on the matter that I would rather he keeps with the path he is on rather than deter if Kurtz and I end up getting into trouble. For being the guy who caused us issues as kids, he's surprisingly the one to carry the torch Amos dropped.
-Percy Jackson-
I sigh as I peer outside the house. Jason is freaking out about the house we broke into being spotless. "It was here three days ago!"
I close the door as I take in the anger seeming to take over the son of Jupiter. "Okay, tell me what was here."
He realizes I'm still around, and calms down some to explain the mess the room we are standing in was. Decaying donkey, words painted in the things blood, and Jason explaining that he was only able to read tollo, destroy in Latin. Speculating that several different languages were used.
"They were being threatened, someone spooked them to leave the camp." Jason seems to be getting further upset. "I took pictures of it, but I handed the camera to the Russian woman."
Damn, and even if we were to contact her, she'll more than likely just snarl and spit on us instead. And if what he is saying is true, whoever cleaned up did an amazing job of it. "You said you have a suspect so far?"
"Theo," Jason finally settles his gaze on me rather than how spotless the room we are standing in is. "He offered to greet them to the camp too, I was busy and took him up on it."
I give him a look that makes him stop for a second to read. "The Russian told me that Mel identified Theo had attacked them in her story. Though totally skipped the concept that Amos was killed."
"Okay, we'll start with him then." That earns me a look from Grace now. "I'll handle it. Would you say that he seems comfortable with things around him right now?"
Jason hesitates but nods, "Yeah, but I'm sure part of it is how long he's been here."
We make our quick plan from there. Jason agrees to warn his fellow praetor of the Egyptian threat about to march upon them. He'll point me in the direction of this Theo guy so I can do my investigation on him.
Morning comes, and we attend breakfast for Jason to point out the man I need to tail for the rest of the day. An older demigod, Jason explains that he teaches theologies in their college courses. That he's the oldest demigod here, and has respect from everyone for it. "Probably what makes him so dangerous to not check on," I point out, earning an understanding nod from Jason.
Splitting from there, I follow this older demigod to his house before he heads towards the college. I make a note that he had made sure his front door was locked before leaving. That's fine, I have options, like the window to his kitchen. Tossing a nice rock at it did a decent job of shattering the glass, but required I push the glass to clear it.
Getting in, I take a moment to process the kitchen appears normal, despite the glass I just scattered. I take a much-needed moment to consider where to look first, deciding his bedroom would be a decent start. Going through the closet, I only find togas and suits. End tables have different religious texts.
I pause a moment on a book about Horus, finding multiple tabs to mark certain points in it. Loose papers folded and tucked into the back. I pull one out and unfold it to find it appears to be written in Greek. I need a moment to process that I can read the ink scribbled on it just fine. But why does a Roman demigod have notes written in Greek tucked away in a book about an Egyptian god?
Jason's crazed description of the house's earlier condition only makes me nervous. I place the book on the bed and pace for a moment. This Theo guy might immediately notice the disappearance of this book. It appears to be an important clue as to what is going on here. I pinch the bridge of my nose as I realize we'll be missing any insight the Egyptians would have on this too. A few more paces, and I quickly grab the book from where I rested it.
I came here to see what was going on, see if what Carter was claiming to be true or not. I'm still not sure, but I trust Jason's word. This book could be evidence of Camp Jupiter's innocence. I just wish the General was around to review all of this with me away from anyone else's voice. The next best is anyone residing in the Egyptian Nome in New York, I suppose, if not Carter.
Deciding to leave as fast as I can is the better option, I head towards the front door. Moving the locks and trying the door, I realize there's an Egyptian hieroglyphic blazing on the wood in bright gold. I take a step back from it to try and process what it looks like, but dyslexia proves it still exists. Annoyed, I try to open the door again to find it still wouldn't budge, and the hieroglyph starts to feel like it's taunting me.
I make my way back to the kitchen. I pause as I approach the window to see it's no longer broken in as I had left it. Looking down, there are no glass shards sprinkled over the floor as evidence of the break-in I committed. My heart drops, I look for the rock that should be lying on the floor behind me to find it's not.
"Surprised?" I jump to the voice sounding off from my left.
The man is glaring at me, an Egyptian khopesh in his right hand. Fair, I did break into his place, I guess. I go to back up, back hitting the countertop not soon after.
"Well, I'm surprised, Jackson. Why wasn't I told of your arrival? A Greek demigod is still a rather important detail around here." He takes a step closer and I immediately uncap Riptide. That simply earned a smirk from the Roman. "I'll take my book back, and we can call a truce."
Absolutely not, especially since he is standing here with an Egyptian weapon while wearing Roman attire. How has this guy not tipped anyone off yet? "Theo, right?" I ask, but I'm quickly trying to puzzle out a way to escape his house at this point. "There a last name?"
"Ptolemy."
"Sounds pretty Greek to me," I point out quickly, "Theo Ptolemy."
There's an annoyed look on his face to that. "No, my actual name is Ptolemy the Fifteenth Ceasar."
I give him a look at that, expecting there to be a punchline or something. That seems to piss him off, taking two more steps towards me as I quickly go into a more defensive stance. "It doesn't matter if you believe me or not. The fact of the matter is, you broke into my house and intend to take my book. Be grateful I respect you enough to tell you my name, I didn't offer that to the Setian I killed."
My eyes widen to that. "So, you admit you killed the Egyptian General?" I make note of the sink being to my right.
"That sorry excuse of a General? Yes, I did. Imperial Gold did as it was intended for."
"Why?" I'm trying to distract him as I'm working water up the pipes. "They're threatening war."
"As they should," the amber gaze feels cold on me. "You weren't supposed to be here, Perseus. The plan was to feed them Roman blood, and in their blind greed I get my throne back."
Oh, I was hoping the response I would get to be more along the lines of Amos being too arrogant for his good or something. So I could protest it as him just not knowing him well enough. Not an actual admission of an evil plan. Rather than having a snippy response to his answer, I just skipped that part and blasted water in his face.
I make my way to a different door, hoping to find a window he hadn't thought to tamper with. Opening it, I instead find it's a basement, steep stone stairs leading down. Irritated at this point, I turn to watch him slowly approaching, drenched but chuckling on the matter. "Sorry, but if water was enough to stop me, I shouldn't be a follower of Horus. Now, the book?"
I grip the book against my left side to verify mostly for myself that it's there still. "Is that why you're so desperate for it back?"
He studies me for a moment before smirking. "I have no intention of starting anything with you or the Greek pantheon, Jackson. Just hand the book over, and I can send you on your merry way back."
"Too bad," the amusement on his face is disappearing fast, "you just admitted to murder as if it was a life that didn't matter."
His eyes narrow some. "That would be because he is. A sorry excuse of a General, and for a Setian, an easy kill. I've faced worse opposition, and it's pathetic that it's his blood on my hands that I can honor Horus' rule with."
I press my lips at that, noting that khopesh is still in his grip. "This is all honestly easy for you, Jackson." He continues without me needing to respond. "Egypt requires stronger leadership, any deals that had been arranged prior will still be valid with me as Egypt's rightful Pharaoh. I simply ask you to step aside until then."
"You expect me to believe that?" I snarl at his arrogance. "You murdered the guy we made those arrangements with, and spit on his name as if he was just a bug under your sandals!"
"Are you refusing my offer?"
It hits me that the host of Set would probably be scorning my actions here. The type that would probably tell me to protect myself first, especially if he had any idea of who this guy is. Trying to be something of an adult figure in the picture amongst mostly kids, he had hit my list of people to keep close. I'm just sorry I wasn't here to help him.
I launched into offensive moves, keeping the book firmly against me to make certain I still had it. Ptolemy is not surprised by this and manages to hook Riptide with the inside bend of his weapon, quickly ripping it out of my grip. Celestial bronze clatters against tile and water behind him.
I use the water still spraying out from the damaged sink in an attempt to throw him off balance. I didn't anticipate the amount of force I put into it, and the man ended up slamming into me from the pressure. The last thing I knew was falling backward before everything enveloped into darkness.
