The Jacksons (completed): Book 2 - Percy Jackson Fanfiction

~ Chapter Eight: ESME

Chapter Eight

ESME

Okay, so something was clearly up with Nero. He'd just witnessed the death of Rachel Elizabeth Dare, and discovered his true power. That unnerved me.

What if I didn't have a power? What if they were wrong about me being a Borne? Drake had thought we weren't. What if that grumpy bossy old guy was right? Nero had found out who he was. What if I was just normal? Just how I'd always thought I'd been - a purely simple human. For some reason, that thought now devastated me.

Thalia took us through the grounds of the camp to the facility. We walked past a variety of people - some wearing bronze armour and red-plumed helmets with boars on the front; some in long white billowing dresses with a lot of makeup; others in just orange t-shirts and khakis or purple polos and jeans. Everyone had one thing in common, however: they couldn't take their eyes off us.

"They're Percy and Annabeth's kids!"

"Oh my gods, they're the new Bornes!"

"There's only two, where's the seventh?"

That also worried me. To save the world, all seven of us had to be together. Seven children of demigods, will become Bornes against all odds. There was no going back. We had to find the seventh - before it was too late.

Thalia and Will spoke in hushed tones, Will gesturing a lot. Thalia fixed him with an icy glare and carried on walking briskly. We were guided towards a massive white tent on the edge of the valley, just inside the borders. A golden metallic dragon snoozed outside, looking new and shiny.

The closer we got, I realised that the facility only looked like a tent. It was actually made out of a smooth metallic material, that was hard as nails at first but if you pushed just gently it softened like Play-Doh. The door was automatically sealed into the surface so you couldn't see it, and it came as a surprise when a little grey keypad popped up on the side and a dark outline surrounded the door at last. Thalia tapped some numbers on the pad and then pressed the large red button, revealing a static buzzing noise that was some kind of intercom.

"Thalia Grace, head of the Borne Protection Agency, head of the Hunters of Artemis. Permission granted for entry?"

Someone laughed on the other end. "Access denied, Thunder Storm."

Thalia blushed furiously. "Let me in, Valdez, I've got two Bornes and we've been chased all downtown by monsters!"

I accidentally let out a little squeal. "You never said!"

I hadn't noticed it before, but Will held a little console in his hand that he was operating. "The Fates," he groaned. "Rachel wasn't kidding when she said she'd alert Zeus immediately once these two arrived!"

Thalia's glared at me and Nero. "Jackets off," she demanded. "Now!"

Drake grabbed our shoulders and shook us, our school blazers easily falling to the floor.

"Strip them down!" Thalia ordered.

I shook my head. "I'm not being attacked by -"

I can honestly say it was the most humiliating time of my life as Drake yanked my skirt off and my shirt too, and undressed Nero harshly too. Thalia threw blankets at us and I wrapped mine around my whole body, mortified at being seen in my underwear by complete strangers. My fishtail plait was rapidly unravelling. In the end, I just tugged it loose.

Drake was sifting through our jackets, checking the collars and sleeves. He stopped at Nero's. His eyes never left Nero for a second.

"Put your hands up," he snapped. His voice was full of venom.