The Third Camp Trilogy: The Final War?

Chapter eighteen: Neptuna

20 days until the war.

As we sat around the fire during diner Natalie hurriedly took off her dog tag and placed it on the ground.

"What are you—" Max started but almost immediately the shimmering wall erupted out of the dog tag.

Juventas stood there looking almost... sad.

"What's wrong?" I gazed into the shimmering image.

"It's the other camps."

"Did they do something stupid again?" Natalie laughed but no one else joined in so she quickly went silent.

"They're building a battle plan... against Camp Ops."

"What?" I jumped to my feet, horrified that Percy would let them do that.

"June 20th, that's when they're planning on attacking. Where is Carrie?" She demanded the last part.

"He's not here, I'll contact him later." Natalie hurriedly explained.

"Tell him to come back to Camp immediately and that they want someone named Courtney." The shimmering image disappeared leaving our group alone with only the crackling fire and animals breaking the silence or night.

"I'm going to go talk to Carrie." Natalie breathed, her eyes wide, almost in fear as she got up and disappeared into the depths of the forest.

"War between the camps." Alivia breathed, even more shell shocked than Natalie.

"They won't know what's hit them." Max leaned back, a smile on his face.

"That's what I'm worried about." Alivia stared, eyes wide at him.

"Why?"

"If there's not peace between the three camps then we would be forced into one of the biggest battles in the history of Camp Ops."

"Sounds like some good training before a real threat comes."

"No, it sounds like a lot of dead bodies."

"Of Camp Half Blood and Camp Jupiter campers, not our people."

"How can you be so sure?" I eyed him.

"This is what we train for." He glared at me. "I don't know about you."

"Max, what about—" Alivia started.

"No. He can die for all I care. I tried to stop him." Max stopped her.

"What?" I questioned.

"Carrie'll stop the battle, you know that. He wouldn't let this happen. He wouldn't let—"

"Carrie is going to lead us into battle, end of story."

"He'll save—"

"End of story!" Max boomed and Alivia seemed to shrink a little.

"Grace would back me up on this." Alivia murmured.

"Grace is missing! We don't know where she is! She is gone!" Max jumped to his feet and was full-out yelling at Alivia.

"I know she is but there's still hope." Alivia spoke with tears forming in her eyes, "Max please calm down, you're doing it again."

I gazed down at her feet, vines and thorns were growing up her legs, keeping her planted to the spot, the thorns slowly penetrating her skin.

"I'm going for a walk, you can fill Neptuna in once I'm gone." Max growled, the vines receded and he stomped into the forest, the opposite direction of Natalie.

"I hate when he gets angry, someone always gets covered in plants." Alivia sighed, rubbed her legs and trying to stop the blood, then sat down next to me.

"What was that about?" I questioned.

She looked around to make sure that Max was gone then she leaned in, "He tried to convince his brother not to go to Camp Half Blood but he did anyway."

"Max's brother is a camper at Camp Half Blood?"

"It get's worse, his brother is the co-counselor of the Athena cabin, he's really close to Annabeth."

"Who is it?" I thought about the Athena cabin, could Malcolm seriously be related to Max?

"His name's Malcolm, but you wouldn't know him."

"That sucks, having to fight your brother in a real war."

"That reminds me," Alivia looked into my eyes with pity, "There's a son of Poseidon at Camp Half blood, so you'll be fighting a brother too."

I had forgotten about Percy.

I would have to fight Percy, or Carrie would have to, unless I did something.