[de oppresso liber / to free the oppressed]

Footsteps echoed through the musky air of the convention center, although their sources could never be seen. That was a frequency that Eli had come to terms with these past few days. He'd adapted quickly to the eerie occurrences that seemed to haunt him since day one, but it seemed that the longer he was trapped among these other soldiers, the more the shadows along the walls and the bumps in the night seemed like tests to prove his loyalty.

As he embarked the escalator to his barrack, Eli scoffed at the thought. A test to prove his loyalty; well, that was one test he was going to fail.

He didn't want to be here. He didn't even know why he'd been selected to join these brainwashed excuses for soldiers. They all had the same glare cut from stone, the same sheer will that Eli recognized in himself, but didn't want to exert the way they did; training and training for some apocalypse that they were convinced was on the horizon. All because of one man, the ruler that judged them from a throne made of darkness.

Eli stepped off of the escalator, taking a deep breath of the dust-filled air and biting back a cough. He walked down the halls, careful to keep his gaze forward when he felt as if he was being watched. That was rule number one among the soldiers of the Regiment: don't look back. On your actions, on your beliefs, on the lives you had before you joined the ranks. Don't. Look. Back.

His combat boots added to the tracks in the dust, making the trails that were already there look like a stampede had run through. He followed the hallways to his barrack, and just like he did every other time that he entered the dark room, waited to see if the other members of his squadron registered his entrance.

There was something strange about his group. Like the other soldiers of the Regiment, they worked on a tight schedule, running covert missions and going to training with the same neutral expression all day. They seemed like shrouds of their former selves, and while Eli pretended to be among them, he could only wonder if they all were as confused, and as scared, as he was.

But when Eli walked into his barrack, there was no one inside, save the boy dressed in a black leather jacket that matched his slicked back hair.

Instantly, Eli froze in place. He knew there was protocol he had to obey when he faced the Leader, or one of his lackies, but everything flew out the window upon seeing his Lieutenant standing inside of his barrack, watching, waiting. For him.

Leader's Lieutenant lifted his head in greeting, but his expression was stone-cold. "Eli Allistairs," He recited, sounding like he was reading from a burial stele. "I've been expecting you."

Eli blinked. "What for, Lieutenant?" He straightened his posture, but the dark-haired lieutenant only held up a tired hand.

"Please," He said. "Don't. Just come with me."

The Lieutenant of the Regiment shoved past him, walking with a sort of whimsical confidence. Every step was sure, planned, precise. He kept one hand in the pocket of his leather jacket and the other on the handle of his obsidian katana that hung at his side. Eli kept a careful eye on that weapon since day one; something struck him as odd about it.

Hastily, Eli followed the Lieutenant out of the barrack. "Where are we going?"

"You've been selected for an operative to infiltrate Target B," The Lieutenant answered, his voice bouncing off the walls. "You're to meet the other members of your mission. That's where we're headed now."

Eli knit his eyebrows together, but followed the Lieutenant down the flight of stairs they had approached. He'd hardly been there a week, and now he was selected for a mission? Something wasn't right. As they walked, Eli's strange hope ignited again: maybe he could escape. No one else seemed to be around to stop him, and with his powers, Eli could totally disarm the Lieutenant before him. He just needed a distraction. And that came in the only thing he could think of: breaking the rules.

"If you don't mind my asking, Lieutenant," Eli started, fighting the tremble of nerves building up within him. "How did you become Lieutenant?"

The slightest falter came from the boy before Eli. "I was selected for my prowess. Just like the rest of the Regiment, I was in a time of need, and selected greatness over defeat. This was my reward." He spoke with a certain strain to his voice, like there was something he wanted to say, but he couldn't say it.

Eli arched an eyebrow, hopping off of the last step. He followed the Lieutenant down the halls, and noticed that his gait was becoming faster. Quickly, Eli scanned the surroundings for an exit as he kept speaking.

"What happened?" He asked. "What made the Leader choose you?"

"I am not at liberty to discuss that," The Lieutenant snapped, stopping in his tracks to face Eli. "And neither are you."

Eli held his hands up in mock surrender. "Just curious," He smiled sheepishly.

The Lieutenant blinked. "Wipe that grin off your face," He ordered. "And follow."

Eli only smirked as he continued on down the halls. His plan was working. He jogged to keep up with the Lieutenant, his combat boots squeaking on the floor as he did.

"Who's your godly parent?" Eli asked.

A turn around a corner.

"Why do you fight with a katana?"

The Lieutenant's grip tightened on his weapon.

"What's your name?"

"Here we are," The Lieutenant snapped, his voice booming on the walls. He pointed to a doorway, where inside, Eli spotted a tall boy with disheveled dirty blond hair and a girl with shoulder length brown hair in mid-argument. As soon as the pair saw the Lieutenant and Eli, they shut up and assumed formation.

"This is your force," The Lieutenant drawled, his fist balled in the pocket of his jacket. "Infiltrate the feasible entrance into Target B. Good luck." And with that, he stormed off, a flutter of paper falling in his wake.

For a moment, Eli froze. He, the boy, and the girl, watched the Lieutenant disappear, and as his footsteps disappeared, the girl spoke.

"He's one for dramatic exits," She sneered, causing Eli to whirl around and look at her. "Although with a story like his, I wouldn't be surprised."

Eli blinked. "Wait, what? You know his story?"

"Rumors," The boy clarified, folding his arms over his chest. "Aspen knows rumors."

"Oh shut up, Lukas," The girl, Aspen, grumbled.

Lukas only grinned. He looked up at Eli, who must have had a pretty good look on his face because he laughed. "Come on, newbie, we've got work to do."

He and Aspen broke to retrieve their weapons from the room they were in, but Eli was focused on the thing he'd seen fall out of the Lieutenant's pocket, now resting on the dust of the hallway. Before anyone could stop him, Eli darted out, snatched it, and came back in.

"What's that?" Aspen asked, drawing closer.

Eli shrugged, unfolding the object. As soon as he did, his eyes widened. It was a photograph, a Polaroid, taken of two girls and a boy, laughing and smiling candidly outside. One girl had dark brown hair and turquoise eyes, smiling like she knew when the end of the world was. The other girl had golden eyes and tan skin, and was laughing at the boy in the center, who with a gasp from Eli, was proved to be none other than the Lieutenant himself.

~~

Tessa wasn't normally a party person, but this was just pushing it. While she had had enough sense to pack a nice outfit to wear, she still felt underdressed with her fancy black and floral top and skinny jeans compared to the dresses and generally fancier clothing the Romans were wearing. The music was obnoxiously loud, at a level that Tessa couldn't tolerate, and she was stuck on the sidelines of the Principia's foyer as people danced and celebrated the return of a hero who wasn't guaranteed to be staying.

"Don't tell me you're going to be moping around here all night," Sophia's voice chimed. Tessa glanced in the direction of her voice and found the fiery haired daughter of Athena approaching her.

"Seeing as I have nothing better to do, moping sounds like as good of an option as any." Tessa joked, taking a sip of her drink. She surveyed the crowd, surprised that such a large number of people was able to fit in the Principia's even larger foyer at one time. Orbs of light hung in the air, and shimmering pieces of confetti covered the immaculate floors. Friends and couples lined the sidelines, staircase, and upper balconies, chatting and catching up. If it weren't for the circumstances, Tessa might have enjoyed the party, but of course, that wasn't an option.

Sophia sighed, standing by her friend. "What'll it take to get you to dance?" She nodded to Dale and Reese, who were hopping about awkwardly on the dance-floor alongside a blonde girl who had been introduced as Luci, and Jett. The sight almost made Tessa laugh. Almost.

"Soph, give it a rest, please," Tessa laughed tiredly. "It's not exactly my jam. The last time I had fun at a party, Romans stormed in and took my boyfriend away."

"So you think you're cursed?"

"Basically."

"Oh, come on!" Sophia snatched Tessa's drink out of her hands and dragged her into the mass of dancing Romans. "Lighten up."

Tessa sighed weakly, and stood in the center of the dancefloor like a mule unwilling to move. Sophia danced and bopped around her, doing everything in her power to make Tessa at least feel the beat. Tessa didn't move an inch, until lo and behold, one of her favorite songs began to play, and she couldn't fight the grin on her face and the lyrics she started to sing along to.

"Thank the gods!" Sophia cheered in victory, and together, the former enemies let loose.

Tessa almost forgot about the struggles she was facing, and the reasons why she wasn't enjoying herself. She sang and danced to the song, and just as it was ending, she felt a hand wrap around her waist. She glanced up and found Kaden, smiling down at her.

"Hey," Tessa greeted softly, pecking his lips.

Kaden returned the kiss quickly and glanced at Sophia, who was watching them with relief. "Mind if I steal her away?"

"She's all yours," Sophia threw her hands up, laughing.

Kaden grinned and took Tessa's hand in his. "C'mon," He whispered in her ear and led her towards the grand staircase. They climbed it, turned a corner and stood overlooking the foyer in one of the balconies nearby.

"Enjoying the party?" He asked, his green eyes filled with hope.

Tessa hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, it's great," She responded airily. "Your friends are really nice to have done this for you."

Kaden grinned at what she had said, but when the recognition of the meaning behind the words hit, it melted. "Tessa," He said softly. "Don't be like that."

"Like what?"

"Melancholy," Kaden said, looking into her eyes sadly. "They just miss me. I promise it's nothing more than that."

"How can you be sure?" Tessa asked. "Kaden, I'm good at reading people and the way they've been acting—"

"It's been two days."

Tessa clamped her lips shut. She could feel her temper beginning to flare, but forced herself to stay calm. She was not going to fight with Kaden, no matter how upset she was. "Regardless, I know longing when I see it." She couldn't fight the jealousy, however. "And Mallory is watching you like a hawk."

Kaden quirked an eyebrow and Tessa suppressed a groan; must he be so clueless? "Mallory? No, she's not."

Tessa blinked tiredly. "Kaden, she interrupted our date yesterday. Twice."

Kaden dragged a hand through his hair, making it stick up more so than usual. "Tessa, I promise you that nothing has happened, is happening, or will happen between Mallory and I. She just missed me the same way that Vinny, Jett, and everyone else has." He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear delicately. "Don't worry."

"That's like telling the sea not to be free." Tessa tried weakly.

Kaden smirked lightly, trapping Tessa against the balcony by gripping the railing behind her. "Well, it's a good thing you aren't the sea. Saltwater just flows through your veins."

Tessa laughed under her breath. She took a moment to look into his eyes, and broke the silence. "Kiss me," She whispered. "So I'm not upset anymore."

Kaden grinned. "Thought you'd never ask." He leant in, and Tessa's eyes fluttered shut as his lips brushed hers—

"Kaden!" That infernal voice chimed, forcing Tessa to stand her ground.

To Tessa's chagrin, Kaden pulled away. He turned and faced Mallory, who was approaching him without any recognition to Tessa.

"There you are," She smiled. "I've been looking for you everywhere."

"Sorry," Kaden returned the smile boyishly, and Tessa nearly stamped her foot to the ground; can't he turn off his charms?

"Well, Vinny's looking for you. Let's go," Mallory nodded her head to the way she'd come.

Tessa gripped Kaden's hand as he started to go. "Hold on," She said, and despite Mallory watching, she pulled her boyfriend into a passionate kiss. She entangled her fingers in his hair, making sure to ruffle it all up as a sign she'd been there, kissing him until she ran out of air. When she pulled away, Kaden's eyes were filled with astonishment and fluster, his cheeks and lips tinged red.

Tessa smirked and sauntered away, shooting a look at Mallory as she passed. Then, she whisked herself down to the party in the foyer, forging her way through the crowd as the fury in her veins began to turn to misery. By the time she ran out of the Principia, tears were welling in her eyes.

She sat at one of the benches along the path leading up to the immaculate building, burying her face in her hands. She forced her sobs back, but the more she let her mind wander, the more she wanted to cry a river right then and there. Tessa looked up, forcing herself to focus on the tiny things; a tactic her mom had helped her use whenever her anxiety got too bad—by focusing on the little things, the big things dissipated.

"Tessa?"

She looked up, expecting to see Kaden, but her gaze fell upon Charlie, the charming son of Vulcan, approaching her. He was dressed for the party, in a dress shirt and pants, but he also wore a visage of pure concern.

"Oh, hey, Charlie," Tessa responded, sitting up a bit. She turned away from him, wiping away the remnants of her tears.

"Are you okay?" He asked softly.

"I'm fine."

Charlie gave her a look.

Tessa sighed. "It's nothing," She said, glancing away from him. "Just petty teenage drama."

"I love petty teenage drama," He joked. "It's the best of all the dramas."

Tessa felt the laugh form in her chest, but it never sounded. She only glanced back at Charlie, who was giving her a small sympathetic smile.

"Mind if I sit with you? If you want to talk about it, I'll listen." He offered, a glint in his teal eyes.

Tessa chewed on her lip. Was that a good idea? She'd accused Kaden of being oblivious to Mallory's advances, but was she any better when it came to Charlie? "Go ahead," Tessa sighed.

The son of Vulcan sat beside her on the bench, and Tessa took a deep breath to clear her head. "So what's the dilemma?"

"Nothing, just, uh," Tessa wasn't sure how to phrase it. "My boyfriend and I just had a little mini fight and it got worse without us trying to." The image of Mallory carting Kaden around like she still had a claim on him came to the forefront of her mind, and Tessa scowled.

"I'm sorry, Tessa," Charlie said softly, and the level of sincerity in his voice was something she recognized in Kaden. "That can't be easy to deal with."

Tessa laughed wryly. "No, it really isn't." She sat up. "But I've dealt with far worse in my life."

"I'm sure you have," Charlie concurred. "But you wanna know something?"

"Hmm?" Tessa turned to look at him, and her eyes widened slightly at seeing just how little space there was in between herself and her new friend.

"If I were him, I'd be really careful about my actions because I'd never want to let you go." He said, his tone feather soft. "He's a lucky guy. I just hope he knows how lucky he is."

Tessa's heart panged with something she couldn't place, but as she watched Charlie smile wistfully at her, then stand up, she tried rapidly to place it. "Thank you, Charlie," She said.

"No problem," He smiled. "I'll give you some space. The gods know you deserve it. But if you ever need someone to vent to, you can find me in the second cohort."

Tessa smiled weakly. Charlie turned on his heel, but before he could get too far, she found herself speaking up. "Charlie?"

"Yeah?" He turned around a little too quickly.

Tessa bit her lip. "My friends, Sophia and Dale, are inside. Do you mind finding them and bringing them out here?"

Charlie smiled. "Of course."

Tessa told him what they looked like, and the son of Vulcan nodded and marched back into the Principia. When Tessa was alone again, she scanned the courtyard of the praetorian building. Lights hung from the pathways, and in the distance, she could spot two blond figures running off, and one of them looked like Reese. Before Tessa could get up and follow, footsteps filled the air.

"Tessa, are you okay?" Dale asked, her golden eyes glinting in the moonlight as she approached. "That boy told us what happened."

Tessa only shrugged. "I've been better."

Dale pulled Tessa into a hug, and the daughter of Poseidon embraced her best friend tightly. She looked up at Sophia as she pulled away, but the daughter of Athena was centered on something in the distance.

"Soph?" Tessa asked. "What's up?"

The redheaded girl lifted a hand and pointed to the horizon. Tessa and Dale followed her line of sight, and with a twist of Tessa's insides, she found herself staring at a person, shrouded in the darkness of night, moving stealthily down the paths of Camp Jupiter.

"That can't be normal," Dale decided as they watched the figure get closer and closer to being out of sight,

Tessa glanced at her friends, and the feeling of initiative she had become accustomed to feeling spread around them. Petty boy problems be damned—at least, for right now.

A pin, a lipstick tube, and a pen were drawn, and within a second and flash of light, the three girls stood with their weapons in their hands. With another exchanged look of determination, they took off down the path towards the figure made of darkness, creeping its way down the trails.