The Hunted Chapter 6

Previously

Ava is thrown into the war, discovers her power, and bonds with Pollux.

Now (Skipped one year)

The war ended soon after Rachel showed up. Ava didn’t know exactly what had happened in the throne room, but she had heard plenty enough to assume it was not pretty.

She sat down on a bench, lost in thought. She enjoyed moments like those, where we was completely in her own mind and not anyone else’s. She found herself wishing constantly that she had some control over it. That she could just turn it on or off at will, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t even decide how much she saw or when she saw it.

“Ava, dear, we have three new campers.” Chiron said from behind her. That was another thing she hated about her power. People liked to put it to use, not understanding the affliction she had with it.

“Sure, Chiron.” She said. Although she could, she never protested. She didn’t want people to dislike her. They did enough already.

The interrogation room was small, but well lit (courtesy of the Hephaestus kids). They started the process of questioning the campers after the war. Chiron thought it would be a good idea to make sure the campers felt safe and liked. Ava agreed, getting to know them would make it easier to keep them safe and happy.  

“Damn, it smells like upsexy in here.” Leo said after Ava walked in and sat down. She was surprised to learn that there was a guy named Leo at camp, much less the Leo, the one from her foster home. When she first came in the room, he looked up and gave a low whistle that the girl to his right promptly smacked him for, but there was no immediate recognition. She tried not to stare at each of them too long, because she knew that made people rather uncomfortable, herself included.

“What is upsexy?” She asked. She realized too late what the joke was and Piper groaned.

“Nothing much, how ‘bout yourself?” Ava stared at him a bit longer. Almost nothing changed about him. He was a taller, his hair a little longer, but nothing that you would expect from not seeing someone for two years. He still had the mischievous elfish smirk that you either wanted to soak up or slap off. He definitely still had the same terrible pick up lines. She looked over at the tall blond kid, and sure enough it was the lost Jason. She turned to him, knowing he had the worst of the memory loss.

“I heard you lost your memory.” He nodded and told her how he woke up on the bus with no memory and how he fought at the canyon. “What did you fight with?” He brought out a gold coin and handed it to her. She flipped it over in her hand and noticed Roman symbols on it. “Did you wake up with this?”

“Yes… I-um-have I met you before?” He asked as she handed the coin back. He looked so distraught, Ava almost told him yes. She couldn’t though.

“No, I’m sorry,” She lied. She stayed at the Roman camp for a few months in the winter with Laurel. She knew he would hold a grudge about that later. “Do you know your last name, or who your parent is?” Piper opened her mouth to saw something, but then frowned. Ava noticed her growing uncomfortable throughout the whole story, but she couldn’t look at her to see exactly what was wrong. She could only sense it.

“Excuse me” Piper said and ran out.

“Stay here,” Ava told the boys. “I’ll be right back.”

•

“Piper?” Ava asked as she found her standing near the strawberry fields.

“I thought he was my boyfriend. I thought I knew him for the past months, but I don’t even know his last name.” She said as she exaggerated her point with her arms. Ava let her take a couple breaths before she replied.

“Do you know what the mist is?” Before Piper could answer, Annabeth ran up behind them.

“Ava, go back to the boys. I’ll talk to her.”

“Sure thing.”

•

“Sorry guys. So Jason, you don’t know?”
“Where’s Piper?” He asked in a slightly concerned voice. By the gods, if they aren’t together in the next month, people have really got to learn how much concern to show. Ava thought and said,

“With Annabeth.”

“Okay… no I don’t remember anything.”

“I’m sorry. I guess we just wait to see if your memory comes back.”

“And if it doesn’t?”

“You start new.” It sounded like pretty good advice that most half-bloods would love to become a reality. She wished she could do that sometimes. Just wake up with parents and no memory. Learn to love them like she loved hers. She didn’t dwell on the impossibilities for long though. She turned to Leo to question.

“Alright Leo, who’s your father?” she heard him whisper softly ‘who’s yo’ daddy?’ but she didn’t think she was meant to hear. He paused for a moment and asked

“How do you know it’s my dad that’s a god?” Ava paused, forgetting that he didn’t remember her. Of course she could get the information herself, but she didn’t exactly like prying into people’s minds without their permission. Besides, that would look weird if she started writing down all his information without being told.

“I have the notes.” She said, shaking her pad of paper. Which wasn’t a lie, she really did have notes that people gave her. He shrugged and said,

“The Star Trek guy.”

“Who’s the Star Trek guy?”

“Vulcan.” Jason supplied. The corner of her lips quirked up slightly, knowing he was Roman, but of course, he didn’t.

“You mean Hephaestus?” Ava asked. He frowned unsteadily.

“Yeah, I guess.”  She asked Leo all the necessary questions even though she already knew the answer to most. She wondered how he lost his memory of her, but only her. She blamed Hera. She then handed them the forms that she gave to everyone else. She really hated her job. After a few seconds, she heard Jason speak up.

“Um…”

“Just fill out the most you can. It’s fine.” She assured him. She sent Laurel and Gabriel and Laurel a text.

'I found Jason. I still blame Hera.' Her phone alerted her of an immediate reply from Laurel 'You’re a genius Ava. I’m going to the Roman camp now, seeing if Percy’s there.' She didn’t want to tell Jason quite yet, in case of Percy not being there. As much as she knew that was his home, he was important to the Greek camp too, just as Percy was. Gabriel texted back soon after Laurel.

'I’m coming to camp now. I can’t wait to see my favorite little hero.' Ava rolled her eyes. She didn’t know if he meant her or Jason; she didn’t think it mattered either way.

When her time was done with interrogation, she went to go change out of her jeans. It was only June, but the heat was incredible. Chiron galloped over to her.

“Would you show Leo around?” He asked.

“But Jason’s the quiet one.”

“Fantastic, you’ll do it!” Ava gave a protesting sigh. Chiron learned long ago that there was no negotiating with her.