As the two friends rounded the Mess Hall movement caught Zoe's eye. A small group of, if she'd have to guess, Ares campers pinning a couple other campers to the side of the showers a ways before them. Zoe tapped Karina's shoulder before pointing towards the group. Karina nodded her head before entering the building and Zoe turned toward the showers. As she made her way over, she spotted an older girl in the group push one of the boys against the wall.

Picking up her pace, Zoe recognized the campers in distress as two children of Hypnos. Reaching the semi circle of beefy young teenage boys and girls, Zoe tripped the boy closest to her before pummeling him into the ground. Quickly, she grabbed the next closest, a girl, and kneed her in the gut. The girl collapsed upon the ground clutching at herself.

With those two out of commission, Zoe was confronted by the remaining four confirmed Ares campers. "Hey guys," she waved with a smile. "What's going on here?"

The one closest to her left, Cheryl she thought, sneered at her. Dark red eyes like blood flowed with barely restrained cruelty. "Just making sure these campers are adjusting to camp life."

Zoe raised an eyebrow at the bigger girl. She turned her gaze towards the two scared preteens. "What's your names?"

The two terrified boys stared at her with wide eyes. "Eric, and this is Freddy," the boy on the left said, gesturing towards his companion.

"Hello boys," Zoe said giving them a bright smile. "You two go on now," she made a shooing motion. "Go get some lunch and find your counselor." The boys nodded their heads enthusiastically before slipping by one of the bigger boys.

"Hey," yelled one of Ares' boys on her right. "That was our meat."

The teen took a step forward, raising his fist. "Am I interrupting something?" A male voice asked. The boy stopped in his tracks, eyes widening while Zoe's smile grew.

Turning her head to the side, she spotted her helper out of the corner of her eye. "Nice of you to join me Liam."

The boy returned her smile, stepping up beside her, strawberry blonde, wind swept hair moving slightly in a nonexistent breeze. "Couldn't help but notice the show. Decided to come see how it would end." The Ares campers took a step back. Zoe found satisfaction that her friend worried the bullies that much despite his somewhat smaller size.

"So," Zoe began. "Here's how this is going to go." She paused, noting Cheryl clenching her fist. "Either, you take your two siblings and go lick your wounds." A second boy on her right flared his nostrils. "Or...we get the Apollo campers to patch you up."

Zoe noticed Cheryl's arms tensing and readied herself for the fight. The girl relaxed her stance, nodding to her brothers. They followed her lead before grabbing their siblings. Taking their leave, Cheryl turned back to her. "Careful girl, you won't always have your bodyguard around to save you," she warned before turning to leaving.

Liam scoffed. "Please," he crossed his arms. "If you're going to try to intimidate at least get your facts right." He smiled at the young girls confusion. He tilted his head to Zoe. "She's my bodyguard." Zoe laughed as Cheryl turned and skulked back with her siblings.

Zoe and Liam arrived at the Mess Hall before separating to find most of camp already eating. Seated on wide and long rectangular stone tables with benches for seats. Marble pillars, carved with myths and legends, ringed the stone platform. The Mess Hall was open to the heavens, the barriers around camp prevented the worst of the heat from the sun reaching the Mess Hall. She spotted Karina sitting at the Hecate table off in the back left. The girl was clearly uncomfortable around so many people despite her attempts at joining the conversations. Making her way to her own table, Zoe noticed Will Solace at the head table talking with Nico Di Angelo. The two older men were whispering to each other, Will's face concerned whereas Nico's was expressionless. Sitting down at her table, her plate filled with Texas BBQ and her cup with blue coke. Taking her plate to the brazier, she pushed a small chunk of her food into it. "To dad," she said, the BBQ turning into wisps of white smoke. As she sat down, another plate landed on her table and Liam sat across from her.

"Hey Zoe," the boy said.

Zoe's dark green eyes met ones like lightning. "Hey Liam," she responded. Now that they had a moment, her eyes scanning him thoroughly. He had grown since she last seen him over winter. He was still slightly shorter than her and a bit skinny, but he filled out his jeans and camp shirt much better than last year.

"I heard about your dad from Will. How are you doing?" Liam said.

The girl gave him a small smile. "Been better," she replied, "I just pray that he is okay."

"Agreed," Liam told her, picking up his burger. "So...apparently Will is planning on doing capture the flag tomorrow to keep everyone's morale up. Says it's a warm up for when the romans come. Want to join my team? I've already got the Hermes, Hecate, Athena, and Nemesis cabins on board. Could use your help convincing others."

Zoe's smile widened. "Of course I'll be on your team." She looked around the mess hall thoughtfully. "Sounds like you've got the core of the team set up. Have you tried the Hephaestus and Aphrodite cabins?"

A light blush crept up Liam's face. "I, uh, I can't talk to the Aphrodite cabin anymore."

Zoe looked at her friend quizzically. "What do you mean?"

"They-they keep flirting with me," he whispered, the blush on his face deepened, showing through his surfer tan.

The girl's eyes widened comically. "Excuse me?"

Liam diverted his eyes, shifting nervously. "They keep flirting with me," and Zoe could see why, his beautiful hair and eyes aside, he had a strong jawline and angled features. He was going to be a looker for sure when he finally grew into his body. Zoe had to fight back a blush at that thought. "It's kinda unnerving you know?" He asked.

Seeing how uncomfortable her friend was, Zoe decided to end his misery. "Well, I guess we can eliminate them from our team. What about the Hephaestus cabin?"

"Haven't talked to them yet," he replied relief evident in his voice.

"I'll talk to them later then," Zoe said. "How is your mom?"

Liam perked up at her question. "She's doing great. She is going on tour with the band next week in Europe. All the venues are sold out so she's going to have a blast."

Zoe hummed her agreement before taking a bite of food. "Wouldn't you want to go with her? Sounds like you would have a great time too."

"I might have but I grew up going to these remember? I'd rather be here with my friends." Zoe smiled at her friend. "Now that I am here, I am glad I did come. With your dad being missing and everything I figured you could need all the help you could get."

"Thanks, Liam," Zoe said, her voice twinged with happiness.

"Any time," he replied. "Plus there is that whole 'stronger monsters and old magics' thing that Percy and others would warn us about. Didn't seem like a good idea."

"Oh. Yeah that's right," Zoe said realizing her error. "I should probably pay more attention in class back home."

Liam shook his head smiling. "So when should I start packing a bag?"

Confusion took over Zoe's features. "What are you talking about?"

Liam scoffed. "Come on Zoe, I know you. All the times you've snuck out of camp, all the times you've broken curfew to pull a prank. Dragging Karina and myself along for the ride. You're not seriously planning to just sit here while your dad is out there are you?"

Zoe looked at her friend in surprise. "I...we don't even know where to start looking. All Reyna said was Northeast. That could be anywhere." She took another bite of her food. "Plus I promised Reyna I would stay here. She's got enough problem without having to worry about us."

"So you're telling me," Liam began, humor etched in his voice. "That the great Zoe Chase Jackson, the Princess of the New Rome, the Mistress of Disaster, and the Supreme Commander of Anarchy, is actually going to sit this out."

Zoe's gaze hardened at her friend. "I am NOT the princess of the New Rome. They don't even have a monarchy."

Liam simply smiled at her. "Oh come one. Reyna literally means 'Queen'. She's the consul and she's in charge of everything. That kinda makes her the Queen of New Rome, and you the princess." His smile grew at Zoe's angering face.

"I am not a princess Liam," Zoe growled through clenched teeth. "I am not even her daughter."

"Not yet at least," Liam mumbled, taking a gentler tone. "You know Reyna considers you her daughter. Hades, she has raised you since you were a baby."

The girl's face softened. "I know. Gods, she's the only mother figure I've ever had, but...sometimes I wonder who my real mother was. You know? What it would have been like to be raised by her like you are with yours." Tears began to sting her eyes. Not knowing what to say, Liam simply reached over and gave her hand a squeeze. Zoe wiped away the forming tears with a soft, "Thank you."

Liam felt a coldness rush over him. "As heartfelt as this is, it's time for you to go back to your table." He looked behind him to see Nico standing there, with his ghostly skin and hair as black as the shadows he travels through.

"Yes sir," Liam said, grabbing his plate with one last look at Zoe before leaving.

Nico turned back to the girl, face set in stone with dark brown eyes swirling with sympathy. "He'll be okay Zo. Never known Percy to let people worry about him."

Zoe gave the man a small smile. "Thanks Uncle Nico." She watched Liam sit down at his table alone. "Did you really have to send him away? It's not like either of us have siblings to talk to."

"You know the rules Zo." He stuffed his hands in his aviator jacket, the zipper bouncing against a black cuirass. "Perce didn't keep a lot of Chiron's rules but he allowed the old horse this one."

"You here to help keep an eye on us?" Zoe asked eyebrow raised.

Nico gave her a chuckle. "No. As I'm sure you know, I am not much of a 'people' person." He rose his hands to form the quotations. "Besides, Will is more than capable of handling a couple hundred of you guys while we find Percy."

A smirk graced Zoe's face. "I'll try not to give him to much grief."

"As long as you don't break anymore Ares campers faces I think you'll do fine," Nico told her, smirking as she blushed in embarrassment. He then glanced around the mess hall. "Guess I'll get going. Percy's not going to find himself. Stay safe kiddo." Shadows surrounded him and he was gone.

The evening sun dipped into the horizon as Zoe approached the camp forge. Her father had situated it on a large outcrop on the east side of the peninsula behind the arena so that it was far enough away from everything and the noise did not bother anyone. There was the added bonus that if there was an accident her father could simply drown the forge with the lake while protecting the campers inside. The large building reminded her of small coal powered power plant, with two large chimneys billowing black smoke into the skies.

She had already secured the support of the Hebe, Hypnos, and Iris cabins. Liam planned on asking more cabins to join. Entering the forge, Zoe was assaulted by the sweltering heat opposing the evening coolness outside. The entire building consisted of one room, filled with various anvils, hearths, and walls lined with tools of the trade. Above each of the hearths were chimneys that ran across the ceiling, meeting at two points in the center. Just over a dozen campers of various ages were running around the forge performing a variety of tasks. Some were forging swords and shields while others were constructing automatons with delicate tools. All were to focused on their work to notice the young teenager making her way through the work space.

Approaching the back of the room, Zoe found her target. A thick young man, with large muscles grown from years working heavy metals sat before two of his younger siblings at a table. His deeply tanned skin shined with sweat while his thick dark brown hair was plastered to his head. He was handling a series of small tweezers, clamps and hammers, creating something Zoe had no inkling of. Zoe approached the trio from the side, avoiding a son of Hephaestus on a whetstone, grinding away at a sword. She rested against a marble pillar with a smile on her face, watching her friend with the children.

"You see," the man said. "Many view us as beasts of burden. Hammering away to provide their swords, shields, spears, and other weapons of war. But we are so much more. To truly be a child of the forge, you must be capable of not only the hard labor," there was a click and, what appeared to be just a collection of parts, began shifting. The pieces rearranged themselves in a fluid, if chaotic manner, before settling. Where once there was a mass of long strips of metal now stood a bronze preying mantis. The metal bug shuddered before stalking across the table towards the two children. The boy squealed, hiding underneath the table while the girl stared at the mantis with wide eyes. The young man snatched the bug up, flicking a small switch at the base of its neck, deactivating it. He then gave his siblings a wide smile. "But you must also be capable of the finer arts of crafting." The man finally noticed Zoe out of the corner of his eye. "Now, why don't you go watch your brothers and sisters working on that automaton over there," he told them, pointing behind him.

The two darted from the table, eyes filled with wonder and smiles plastered across their faces. Zoe pushed off the pillar and approached the table. "You're so good with the kids, Malik."

The man gave her a grin before standing, his light brown almond shaped eyes distracted Zoe from the rest of him. The Aphrodite girls may flirt with Liam based on what he will become, but Malik had already reached his potential. Being a few years older than her, he towered over her by a head and neck. His strong jaw, touched with stubble and soft eyes made many a girl swoon. "What can I do for you Zoe?"

"Just wanted to see if you were willing to join the winning side of Capture the Flag tomorrow," she said with a smirk.

Malik returned the smirk. "So where is the Ares camper I can sign up with?"

Zoe scoffed mockingly. "Please. Like you realistically think they have a chance. We've got the best tacticians, the most numbers, and, with you on board, the most muscle. It'll be a cakewalk," she spoke confidently.

"Hmm," the young man rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "You make a compelling case for yourself. What do we get in return?"

"The usual. Liam, Karina and I will take over your next turn of cleaning the showers and bathrooms."

"Same traps as always?" He asked, mischievousness danced in his eyes.

Zoe shot her foot back punting the praying mantis across the forge, just before it managed to to touch her foot. She gave the bull of a man a hard look. "Really?"

Malik head his hands up in surrender. "Just testing your spatial awareness," he claimed, giving her a warm smile. "How'd you notice it?"

"You mean notice you placing the hand with the critter behind your back and then folding your arms in front of you without the thing?" She raised an eyebrow quizzically. "Either you placed it in your back pocket, which you wouldn't because you would forget about it, sit down, and squish it. Or you turned it back on and let it climb down your leg to try to scare me. Knowing that it was all about the timing." She turned around and began leaving the shop. "Plus your eyes gave it away, you leaned to heavily on girls being enraptured by your gaze."

Malik let out a hearty laugh, waving to the girl. "Fair enough. I'll get you next time though, see you tomorrow Zo."

Zoe waved back as she left the building. "See ya Mal, don't be late to the meeting," and she was gone. Off to spend her day with friends.

A/N: I will not be making authors notes often. But this one is to inform readers that I will be updating weekly. Thanks for reading and I would appreciate reviews.