Run | TMR X PJO [ Editing ]

Twenty-One | Group B

Chapter twenty-one, in which our brave (or very dumb; it's up to you to interpret that) heroes find themselves discovering a vital secret to the Grievers.

Annabeth remembered the way to Section 4 all too well. It had been drilled into her head, from every little turn to what areas on the ground that she might trip on. She was to make it there without the aid of Aris or Kathy, should the situation arise. Though the trio was only ten feet away from each other, they maintained that careful distance and even pace as they wheeled around corners and kicked up little pebbles.

As Kathy said — every man for themselves.

She had argued that she and herself were women, not men. While it could have been easily laughed off, the Keeper seemed twice as paranoid and wheeled on her with a stern glare.

The gray-eyed girl conserved her energy well as she ran, but she never slowed down in fear of fatigue possibly overcoming her — however, it was a short run and they arrived at the entrance to the Section swiftly. 

It took less than a tentative footstep inside before an ominous crack could be heard; the sound of metal on the ground was more than enough to alert them of the presence of a Griever — in the daytime, no less. Several more terrified footsteps were taken before Aris whispered that the spidery menace was about fifty yards down the right corridor.

"That thing is our way in," Kathy confirmed fearfully. Annabeth wasn't sure if she'd get a black eye comforting the obviously horrified Keeper but soon decided that it wasn't worth the risk.

Aris wasn't exactly what one would call pale, but if the other two had to describe him in that moment, they would have agreed on vampire attempting to suntan in July. But he also looked mildly interested in the Griever, despite everything. "From what I heard, one might have thought it was some sort of deadly killing machine. Looks like a bunch of metal to me," he commented.

Annabeth shushed them hastily (her shushing surely was louder than either Kathy or Aris anyways.) The last thing they needed was to alert the Griever of their presence. They watched as the machine waved a spiked arm at a seemingly normal section of the wall. With a small rumble, the wall revealed itself to be a secret passageway, all decked out in ivy to add to the eerie effect.

Kathy's eyes narrowed at it, no doubt trying to figure out a plan that woulnd't get them killed in two seconds — retreating seemed logical, though it was unlikely they would ever get this opportunity again.

Aris, on the other hand, was trying very hard not to stare, although his attempts were in vain. He seemed about interested in it as anyone else but seemed more willing to run away screaming.

Another Griever scrambled down the wide corridor and entered the mysterious tunnel several minutes after the first. It clicked and clacked slowly to the entrance, seemingly blending in with the darkness as it entered.

"Another one?" Kathy exclaimed. "One was more than enough, thank you very much."

"Shut your hole, Kathy," Annabeth hissed. "I think we might luck out if we ever have to fight because there's two of them and three of us —"

Karma, however, decided to drop yet another Griever upon them right there and then. Like the others previously, it went through the tunnel, leaving the trio dumbfounded and their jaws dropped.

Kathy glared at her, as if it were all her fault that they suddenly had three Grievers in the tunnel. "Yeah, now we're really screwed. Thanks a lot Annie, really appreciate it."

"What are we exactly going to do?" Aris asked, evidently hoping that perhaps they wouldn't have to enter what he mentally dubbed the Tunnel of Certain Death.

"I have no idea, but we're getting into that tunnel."

Annabeth secretly wondered if the girl had a death wish.

{A/N} Shorter chapter, my apologies.