Marcus tapped one of the statues in front of him with his knuckle. "So… this another one of those scout drops you were talking about?"
"N-n-no. For whatever reason, we could n-n-never manage to move these statues to replace them." Joey responded, already brushing past them as he rushed into the stadium in front of them.
"And here I was startin' to think these scouts were inflatable." Joel said, following closely behind.
"I think the word you're looking for is 'infallible'." Phillip responded. "And honestly, I've been starting to think the same thing."
"Oh, the scouts are amazing that's for sure." Maddie said, peering close at the statues of the baseball players as she passed. "But even they aren't perfect. Take Joey for example. For years and years he was-"
"Bored now. Nobody wants to listen to old history Maddie. Let's track down these Red Shirts and get out of here already." Chastity grumbled before adding under her breath, so quietly Marcus barely heard her voice, "This city gives me the creeps…"
So… Even Chastity is on edge… Looking around at the group, he noticed small signs that he had somehow missed before that they were all feeling the tension. Phillip's eyes constantly shifting, checking corners. Elliot's uncharacteristic quiet. Joel's white knuckled grip on his duffel bag, ready at a moment to swing it into its true sword form.
"So… is there a plan for if shit goes sideways?" Jason asked quietly.
"You mean like it always seems to?" Chastity muttered.
"It doesn't always … Just most of the time." Elliot responded.
"The plan is what the plan always is." Marcus said.
"So wing it. Doesn't exactly inspire confidence…" Jason sighed.
"Aw, come on Chew Toy. That plan ain't failed yet, has it?" Joel laughed over his shoulder.
Marcus couldn't help but scowl a little. If only he knew… "Fine. If 'shit goes sideways', as it was so eloquently put, here's the plan. Run."
"Run…?" Maddie stopped, looking at Marcus in surprise.
"That's something I didn't expect to hear from you. You starting to lose your nerve now that you know you'll be watched by a beautiful woman Marcus?" Chastity said.
But Marcus was already shaking his head. "Who knows how many of them are going to be there? And what if they have more weapons like Isaac had? As much as I want to bring… As much as I want to find out what's going on, I think rushing in head first would be a bad idea." As much as I want to bring Aaron, Hunter, and Alicia home, I won't risk you all getting hurt. Not for my sake. Though were those his own thoughts, or was he trying to avoid Lyssa's taunts, still fresh in his mind? Avoid becoming lost in the rage that she seemed to enjoy so much? Who is she? What is she?
"Sh!" Joey's voice cut through their conversation. Marcus realized that while they had been talking, he hadn't been paying attention at all to where they had been going. I really am slipping… Gotta keep my focus. Rushing forward, Marcus saw that they had somehow found their way to the entrance of a tunnel leading out onto the field. As Marcus walked forward to meet Joey at the tunnel's end, he saw… nothing. Nobody was there.
"I thought you said this was where we would find… anything." Marcus remarked.
"T-t-that's what I thought.." Joey mused quietly, his eyes scanning the baseball diamond in front of them.
"Looks to me like you were both wrong." Elliot laughed, stepping out of the tunnel.
The rest of the party slowly followed, cautiously leaving the tunnel and heading towards the center of the field.
"Wow… This is incredible!" Maddie gushed.
"Don't know if that's the word I'd use… but it's certainly something." Chastity responded, though her voice betrayed the awe she felt looking at the seating around them.
Marcus quickly scanned the diamond for any sign of the scouts, but saw nothing. Something's not right… where are they? Just as he was about to give up, Marcus felt a shift in the air around him. Without hesitating, he pulled the closest person he could to him, to where he could safely protect them if something came at them suddenly. Unfortunately, that person was Chastity.
"Marcus! What are you.. Here? Now? Really?!" Chastity sputtered.
"Jason, time to put those illusions you've been practicing to good use! Cover us all. Now!" Marcus said.
Jason froze for a second before muttering under his breath. The group quickly got closer together, almost crowded to fit under Jason's illusion. For a moment, Marcus was sure they were sunk but eventually he saw the air shimmer around them. Damn… He's getting scary good at that…
"Hey uh… Marcus? Much as I love being held tightly in your arms, could we maybe not while my boyfriend is right there and I have no idea why?" Chastity muttered into his chest. Feeling his face flush a little, Marcus let go of Chastity, making sure to stay in the area where he could see the shimmer of Jason's illusion hiding them. Dammit… I just know Aphrodite somehow had a hand in that…
Marcus heard voices at that moment start to fill the stands around him. Lots of them. Looking around, Marcus' jaw dropped as he saw what must have been at least two hundred half bloods start to fill the stands around him, with more piling in behind them. All of them wearing some form of red coloring.
"Oh Gods…" Jason muttered.
"Look at them all…" Joel said, getting a tighter grip on his duffel bag.
"So remember the whole running plan? I'm really liking the sound of that plan right about now…" Elliot's voice shook a little, though he tried to hide it.
"Not a good idea…" Jason's voice was strained as he spoke. "I'm already having a hard time making it so they can't see us… No way I could keep this up on the move…"
"So, what exactly are we supposed to do?!" Chastity fumed quietly. "I somehow doubt that we'd be able to talk our way out of this one. Even I'm not that good!"
But Marcus wasn't paying attention. At the top of the stands on top of what some called the Green Monster, the stands reaching to the very top of the stadium, Aaron had just appeared, armor shimmering in the dimming light, stepping from the shadows with Alicia by his side.
"Half bloods!" Aaron's voice called out, somehow magnified to fill the entirety of the stadium.
Around him, Marcus felt every eye turn to look at Aaron, all focus go his way, even the focus of his own group. Commanding as ever…
"We all stand here today united under a common cause. A common feeling. Betrayal. Abandonment. But most importantly, we share the common feeling that something isn't quite right with the world. That something is wrong. We could never tell what it was, but we knew, and that drove us apart from those who seemed to enjoy and even thrive in the world the way it is." Aaron paused for a moment, allowing his words to sink into the minds of those listening. "I'm here to tell you what that something is. What is causing this world to be so wrong to us, those born to be its protectors and caretakers, a task handed to us by our blood, the blood of Gods…" At these words, a stir seemed to go through the half bloods gathered. The word Gods brought forth many different reactions, and while there was some muttering, none spoke loud enough to be heard individually. "And yet, the Gods themselves are the problem! The Gods themselves are what is wrong with this world in which we are forced to live, the root from which all this discontent stems. Zeus! Strike me from where I stand if I lie!"
Marcus couldn't help but glance at the sky, just as those around him did, but nothing happened. No bolt of lightning flew through the air to strike down the blaspheming Son of Nike. What is happening…?
"Ah, but I forget, the Gods have sworn to not interfere in the affairs of mortals so directly. This oath is what maintains the natural order, and stops that discontent from rising. But when has that stopped them? They made an oath to claim each of their children, to treat them as equals, but have they kept this oath? Has their word meant anything to them? I will admit, some have. Some claim each of their children, and devote as much of their time as possible to each, as a true parent should, but others…?" Another pause. Marcus could feel what Aaron was doing, allowing the resentment to build in his audience before capturing it. When did he become so good at manipulating people…? "Yes, not all Gods are the problem. Only a select few seem to abuse their power, ignore their oaths, betray those who give them their all, kill those that are innocent!"
With each accusation, the anger in Aaron's voice became stronger and stronger, and Marcus felt that anger received and amplified by those half bloods in the stands around him. Looking closer, Marcus saw a familiar figure standing with Aaron. Red Hair, a black gown… He knew if he was closer he would probably see green eyes staring back at him. Lyssa…
"But which Gods do we blame for these atrocities then, for we know it isn't all of them? Which Gods do we point out as those that cause this world to feel as wrong as it does? It's simple. The answer has never been more clear. The ones who've forgotten their oaths? The Olympians. The ones who betray those half bloods that time and again fought for them, bled for them, died for them? The Olympians. The ones that have exiled those that aren't of their own blood to live on the Fringe of the society they've created, even in the one place that is supposed to be their safe haven?"
"The Olympians!" Came the shout from over two hundred voices, echoing Aaron's own cry. Marcus was stunned. It all happened so quickly. Aaron had stoked the fires of rage in these half bloods, and aimed it squarely at the Olympians. Chiron… Those problems I warned you about just got much greater.
"But what are we to do?" Aaron continued, quietly. So quiet, even with his amplified voice it would have been difficult to hear him if Marcus weren't so focused on his words. "We're merely mortals. What hope do we have against the Olympians? So what can we do but simply bear the weight of these wrongs? That question has plagued us for too long, but I tell you now my friends, my family , we have a solution. Finally, we have a way to stand against these injustices, these betrayals. Finally, there are new Gods ready to take the mantle. Ready to step forward and become what the Old Olympians should have been. Finally, we can follow Gods that will remain true to their oaths, who have never betrayed us! Finally, we will have New Olympians!"
At that the crowd of half bloods in the stands erupted into cheers. Marcus looked around at his party and saw the shock he felt reflected on their faces. There are Gods… rebelling against the Olympians? I think we found the missing Half Bloods… As he looked around, Marcus saw Jason practically shaking with the effort of keeping his illusion up. Joel was looking around, possibly trying to figure out a plan of escape. Elliot seemed too dumbfounded by everything he had heard to react. Phillip was knocking an arrow on his bow, preparing for action. Maddie and Chastity both were looking at Aaron with awe and fear on their faces. Wait… Where's Joey?!
Throwing his gaze back up at Aaron, Marcus got his answer. Joey had scaled the side of the stadium through the stands, though how he did it Marcus would never know, out of view from the half bloods clustered in the stands, and leapt onto the top platform beside Aaron.
"Olympus!" Joey cried, swinging the dagger he had drawn from his waist at Aaron. With his heart in his throat, Marcus watched as Aaron, without seemingly a glance at the smaller boy, simply stepped out of the way of the swing before catching Joey by the back of his shirt. Marcus saw the figure of Lyssa with a small smile on her face, though she was getting harder to see by the minute, seeming to fade into the growing darkness of the setting sun.
"As if on cue, the Olympians seek to cut me down." Aaron cried out, throwing a punch into Joey's gut that made even Marcus flinch. With a glance, Marcus saw that Maddie had already taken a step forward, and he caught her arm quickly.
Marcus?! She threw a look at him over her shoulder.
There's nothing we can do. His eyes responded.
But… If we don't help him-
If we do help him, we all get found. Marcus saw the pain in Maddie's eyes as he held her back, and felt his own jaw clench as he suppressed the anguish he was feeling. He fought his own instincts to rush to Joey's aid. He had to hope. Had to have faith in Aaron.
"But if they think they can stop the New Olympians so easily, they have another thing coming." With what appeared to be no effort at all, Aaron flung Joey behind him, off the back of the stadium. Marcus felt his heart drop as he watched Joey fly out into the air and drop out of sight, knowing there was nothing to save him from the long fall to the concrete below.
No...
"Where there is one, there are bound to be more. It's how the Olympians work, sending a group of 'heroes' to do their bidding. Find them." Aaron's eyes flashed as he seemed to look straight into Marcus' own, the blind rage clear in them even with the distance between them.