Brooke isn't sure how long she's been 'patrolling' but she's been walking aimlessly for about 10 minutes and already she is freezing her ass off. Now did she use lookout as an excuse to get away from that horrific stench... yes. But to be fair, there wasn't much she could do to help repair the bronze dragon so she'd be better help keeping watch for Leo while he works.
She really wishes Festus hadn't given out on them, what she wouldn't give to be on his back right now getting warmed up. She wonders if Piper and Jason finished talking and if she could get away from sneaking back into the factory to warm up her numbing limbs for a while. And as fucked up as it'd be to leave Leo outside alone, she can't be much of a lookout if she's an icicle. No, I'll give them their space, I don't need to walk in on whatever is happening in that factory right now, Brooke decided.
It seems though that she'd be heading that way anyway because Brooke had heard the crash. But as much as she wanted to drop everything and run to the factory, she'd feel bad leaving Leo behind especially if there was danger nearby. As she debates what she should do she sees Leo running towards the factory. That's one less thing to worry about, she thinks.
She runs to catch up with him. She'd hate for Leo to run head-first into danger by himself. They both arrive at the factory. Leo first, Brooke right behind him, though he hadn't noticed yet. When they looked inside nothing looked different. Gray morning light filtered through the hole in the roof. A few lightbulbs flickered, but most of the factory floor was still lost in shadows. He could make out the catwalk above, the dim shapes of heavy machinery along the assembly line, but no movement. No sign of their friends.
He almost called out, but something stopped him—a sense he couldn't identify. Then he realized it was smell. Something smelled wrong—like burning motor oil and sour breath. Something not human was inside the factory. Leo was certain. His body shifted into high gear, all his nerves tingling.
Somewhere on the factory floor, Piper's voice cried out: "Leo, help!"
As Leo goes to respond Brooke stops him, scaring him half to death, thankfully she was covering his mouth. He looks at her questioningly when shakes her head and gestures to her foot. She didn't say it but Leo still understood the message, How could Piper have gotten off the catwalk with her broken ankle?
They slipped inside and ducked behind a cargo container. Slowly, Leo gripping his hammer, they worked their way toward the center of the room, hiding behind boxes and hollow truck chassis. Finally, they reached the assembly line. They crouched behind the nearest piece of machinery—a crane with a robotic arm.
Piper's voice called out again: "Brooke? Leo?" Less certain this time, but very close.
Leo peeked around the machinery. Hanging directly above the assembly line, suspended by a chain from a crane on the opposite side, was a massive truck engine—just dangling thirty feet up, as if it had been left there when the factory was abandoned. Below it on the conveyor belt sat a truck chassis, and clustered around it were three dark shapes the size of forklifts. Nearby, dangling from chains on two other robotic arms, were two smaller shapes—maybe more engines, but one of them was twisting around as if it were alive. Then one of the forklift shapes rose, and Leo realized it was a humanoid of massive size. "Told you it was nothing," the thing rumbled. Its voice was too deep and feral to be human.
One of the other forklift-sized lumps shifted, and called out in Piper's voice: "Brooke, help me! Help—" Then the voice changed, becoming a masculine snarl. "Bah, there's nobody out there. No demigod could be that quiet, eh?"
The first monster chuckled. "Probably ran away, if they knows what's good for them. Or the girl was lying about the other demigods. Let's get cooking."
Snap. A bright orange light sizzled to life—an emergency flare—and Leo temporarily blinded. He ducked behind the crane until the spots cleared from his eyes. Then he took another peep and saw a nightmare scene even Tía Callida couldn't have dreamed up.
YOU ARE READING
DEJA VU || Leo Valdez
Fanfictionwater and fire are never compatible... so why are they? leo valdez x oc heroes of olympus fanfic the lost hero i do not own pjo or hoo. all rights goes to rick riordan, i only own my oc and her storyline.