Commander Alpha

Chapter 15

Annabeth's POV

     "Ready for capture the flag tonight?" Piper asked me.
     "Yeah, I guess." I sighed.  I hadn't really gotten excited about anything since Percy... disappeared.  Piper put a finger under my chin and lifted my face to look at her.
     "Hey." she said softly.  "Have hope.  Okay?"  I nodded.  Have hope.  It sounded easy, and it was in the  beginning, but as the days went by, it got harder and harder to retain any piece of the original hope that I once held.  I sighed again and went back to my cabin to get ready.  Before, I would have been ecstatic about this three way game, with all of the possible strategies and analysis of the mysterious warriors.  Now, it was just another thing to get through.  I tugged on my armor, grabbed my sword and invisibility cap, and made my way from my cabin to the sick-looking beach.  The sand was almost grey, and the water was murky, an ugly moss green that didn't at all resemble the beautiful sea green of my Seaweed Brain's eyes.  Just thinking about him made me sad.  I frowned as the signal for the start of capture the flag rang, and headed to where the campers were gathered.
    "Okay," Malcolm, who had taken over doing strategies, began.  I tuned him out until he was done stating the strategy.  Everyone nodded and raced off to where they were stationed.  I looked at Malcolm.  "Offense on Warriors." He told me, fully knowing that I hadn't been listening.  I nodded and headed to the border of the campers' area closest to the Warriors.  As soon as the horn blew, I pulled on my hat and raced through the woods, not getting any particular enjoyment out of the game.  A while later, I found the warrior's flag.  All of the Warriors were sitting beneath it, relaxed.  The girl who dueled Brendan was looking at her watch.
     "Fourteen minutes, fifty five seconds... and... head start's done, let's go!" As soon as the Warriors heard this, they raced in directions, Silena towards the hunters' side, Beckendorf towards the campers' side, and the rest scaled the trees.  They left only Beta to guard the flag.  I felt anger in the pit of my stomach.  They were giving us a head start?  Oh, those cocky Warriors were so going to pay.  I quickly sneaked behind Beta and up to the flag, invisibility cap on.  I was only several steps away when Beta whipped around.  I could've sworn that he was looking straight at me even though I was invisible.
     "Annabeth." He greeted.  Oh, he was looking at me.  I looked down at myself.  I was still invisible, so why could he see me?  "That cap doesn't work on me."  I nodded, pulling it off.  No use in wearing it now.  I reached for my sword as Beta reached for his.  At the same time, we rushed at each other. 
     I could tell thirty seconds in that I was fighting a losing battle.  Beta seemed to know my moves and was there to block them before I had even decided on what to do next.  I was panting and sweating, whereas Beta didn't seem to be effected in the slightest.  After three minutes of fierce dueling (I had a sneaking suspicion that he'd only kept going that long as to not bruise my ego), he disarmed me in an alarming way.  I stopped, paralyzed in shock.
     "That- The move you just moved.  Luke?" I asked.  It seemed to all click into place.  The odd familiarity and nostalgia that washed over me when I was around him, his mannerisms that reminded me of someone that I could never place.  Beta froze in horror.  Our moment was invaded by Silena walking into the clearing, the hunter's flag lazily draped over her shoulder. 
     "I win!" She cheered.  A moment later, Beckendorf entered from the other side of the woods with the campers' flag. 
     "C'mon!  So close." He groaned.  The rest of the Warriors jumped down from a tree at the front of the clearing.  Alpha laughed.
     "I don't even think they noticed the flags were gone."   Alpha looked up, and noticed Luke and I for the first time.
     "Beta?" He asked.  "What's going on." Luke remained silent.  "Beta, you're scaring me."
    "Luke, is it really you?" Beta looked over at Alpha who suddenly understood the situation.  Unspoken words passed between them.  Alpha nodded.
     "Annie," Beta sounds choked up.  "I'm so sorry." Slowly, as the hood was lowered, a nervous, pale face with a large scar and blond hair met me.  Luke looked like he was on the verge of vomiting.
     "Luke!" I shouted, launching myself at him.  The force of me hitting him almost knocked him over.  His arms wrapped around me just as tightly as I was holding him.
     "Annie."  He whispered into my hair, relieved.  The other Warriors seemed to notice that it was a private moment, and they retreated into the woods to who-knows-where.  After a minute or two, we let go of each other. 
     "Why is your voice so different?" I ask.
     "Chaos changed it so I would not be recognized at camp." He said.  I saw an opportunity.
     "Did Chaos also change the voices of the other two Warriors?"
     "Yeah why?" Luke seems to realize the reason I asked when I feel my eyes light up with hope.
     "Is Alpha Percy." I demand.  Luke thinks for a minute.
     "Alpha has information on Percy.  I suggest you gather up the rest of the seven and Nico.  I have a feeling that he'll only share his information once."  I figured that his answer was not nearly as good as a yes, but better than a no.  The signal for the end of the game sounded.  Luke pulled up his hood and he and I caught up during the walk back to Camp.  When we arrived, the hunters were sputtering next to where the Chaos army was standing.
     "But, we always win!"  One of them, Phoebe, protested.
     "Not tonight!" Suzuki quipped.
     "We gave you and the camp a fifteen minute head start, and only sent out one warrior to get each flag and left one on defense.  Silena got the hunters' flag in-" Alpha checked his watch.  "One minute and thirty five seconds.  Beckendorf got the campers' flag in one minute fifty four seconds."  Alpha looked to Beckendorf.  "Sloppy."  The campers weren't putting up much of an argument, just standing with their mouths open.  Chiron cleared his throat, looking at the Warriors with a mix of respect and fear.
    "Alright, so I guess that concludes our game of Capture the flag for tonight with an... impressive victory for the Warriors of Chaos!"  As the crowd started to disperse, I caught up with Alpha.
    "Alpha," I called.  He stiffened at the sound of my voice, but covered it up well.  He turned to face me.
    "Yes Miss Chase?" He asked politely.
    "Lu-Beta told me that you have information on Percy Jackson." I watched as Alpha tensed, more noticeably this time.  Luke made a scared noise from somewhere. 
    "Sorry!" Luke shouted, and rant to his cabin to hide from Alpha.  I assumed that Alpha was not very happy with Luke for telling me that he had information on Percy and had yelled at him through whatever mind-communication the Warriors were always doing.  Alpha sighed. 
    "As a matter of a fact, I do have information on Percy Jackson.  Meet me at ten at Zeus's first.  Bring whoever you may like." Alpha stalked towards his cabin, his fists balled.  I felt bad for Luke, but honestly, after siding with Kronos and everything, I couldn't say that he didn't at all deserve what was coming to him in the form of an enraged Alpha.  It was only then that I noticed a black mist-like substance coming from Alpha.
    "SUZUKI!  BEAUTY!" One of the Warriors yelled, panicked, just as Alpha was yanked into the cabin and the door slammed shut behind him.   I wondered what that was about for a minute, before turning back to find the rest of the seven and tell them that I'd just gotten a reliable lead on Percy, the first one in years.  I felt an unfamiliar feeling in my stomach that took a second for me to recognize.  Hope.  Maybe I would get my Seaweed Brain back after all.