The Third Camp Trilogy: The Final War?

Chapter twenty five: Carrie

19 days until war.

"Why are you here?" I chilled.

"Just to talk." Wallace shrugged and handed me my dog tag back.

"Why?" I eyed his extended hand, my dog tag hanging from his fingers.

"Just take it, I'm not playing games." He snarled and forced it into my hand.

I turned and placed in nicely on my desk.

"Why are you here instead of you goons?" I questioned, sitting down in my chair.

"I wanted answers, you understand that." He sighed and sat down in the chair in front of my desk, feet resting on my desk.

"With what, we haven't been on the best of terms ever since..."

"How did he die? I've known for years that you didn't kill him."

I reached over and touched my dog tag but nothing happened, I eyed Wallace and he seemed almost... nervous. Almost immediately I placed my dog tag in a locked drawer and pulled out a new one. It reacted to my touch and I placed it on my desk to show him the scene that had haunted me for so long.

"There." I spoke after the scene was done and placed it around my neck. "Are you happy now?"

"Why did you show me a scene of weakness?"

"You are a grieving father, you deserve answers, besides I have changed since then. Including," I pulled out the fake dog tag that was supposed to be mine. "I learned what was not as it seems."

"What are you talking about?" Wallace stared at the dog tag, his eyes refusing to stay still.

"Come on Wallace, this is fake, any idiot could've seen that."

"I don't see anything." He shrugged.

"Wallace, what is it? Tell me, I'll find out anyway."

"It's your dog tag." He leaned back. "What else could it be?"

"Anything. Literally anything other than a dog tag."

"It's your dog tag."

"Don't lie to me Wallace."

"I'm not lying." He insisted.

"Then put it on yourself." I crossed my arms and nodded toward the fake dog tag.

"I don't put on what isn't mine." He snarled and forced the dog tag on me.

"What are you hiding Wallace?" I slammed down the tag on my desk, my eyes trained on the man.

"Nothing, I'm an open book." He shrugged but I wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

"Do not lie to me in my own camp or I will call Juventas in here."

"Go ahead I'm not scared of—" His voice started to get to yelling level.

"Not scared of little ol' me?" A voice growled from the doorway.

Wallace's eyes widened, he ripped his feet off of my desk and stared like a child in front of the goddess.

"Uh, Juventas, I didn't see you there, h-how are you?" He stuttered.

"Not so big and mean now, are you?" Juventas crossed her arms and walked behind me.

"So, you were saying?" I eyed him.

"Shut up, runt." He growled under his breath.

"You might want to watch what you say around me." Juventas leaned in and snarled.

"Hey Juventas." I smiled.

"Once he's gone I need to talk to you." She whispered in my ear, I nodded.

"Just put the dog tag on, it's just a dog tag, it can't hurt you." Wallace kept fidgeting.

"It most definitely can hurt me, now go back to council." I nodded toward the door.

He threw me a glare and walked out, leaving Juventas and I alone.

"You know I remember him when he was a camper." Juventas sighed and sat down on Grace's desk. "Nice little kid, not too nice, but still nicer than some."

"I couldn't imagine Wallace being nice." I laughed.

"What did he want anyway?" She questioned.

"I'm not sure, but he wanted me to put this thing on." I tossed her the fake dog tag.

"Why?" She grabbed the dog tag out of mid-air and started examining it.

"No idea." I shrugged, "So what did you need to talk to me about?"

"Well, uh..." She looked down at the tag.

"Did you tell him yet?" A voice whispered.

"No I didn't tell him!" She hissed over her shoulder.

"Why not? Nevermind, I'm coming in." The voice sighed.

A woman entered and I jumped up.

"Sit back down Child." The woman rolled her eyes.

"Why?" I eyed her.

"She's fine." Juventas sighed and I slowly sat back down.

"The name's Themis." The woman extended her hand for me to shake.

"You probably already know who I am." I shook her hand and she sat down in front of my desk.

"You don't seem to be surprised that I'm a titaness." She eyed me.

"The titans have to go somewhere." I shrugged. "And Camp Ops is always happy to help."

"Well, I just wanted to meet you."

"I would love to stay and chat," I glanced at my watch, "But I have to go and check on battle training." I stood and nodded to both of them.

"See you at diner." Juventas nodded as I left.

"How's training going?" I leaned against a tree near where the group was fighting.

"Great, though some of us need a little work." Sparky threw a glance at Neptuna.

"Hey it's not my fault—"

"Yes it is." Liza growled.

"Wow, you guys got cranky while I was gone." I laughed.

"When's dinner?" Regar questioned.

"Ten minutes."

"See you later." He patted my shoulder then pulled Cam and Sparky toward their cabin.

"I'm leaving. Goodbye." Liza shouldered her pitchfork and headed back up the mountain.

"I'm not used to defences." Neptuna murmured and sat down at the water's edge, her feet submerged in the shimmering mirror.

"Come on, get up. I can shoot at something and you can try to stop my arrows." I suggested.

"Are you sure?" She got up and faced me as I shouldered my bow.

"Yeah but we can only do it until diner, we shouldn't be late."

"Okay, let's get started."