Runaway Train | p. jackson

Chapter two; The Kidnapping

The kidnapping

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Alex was in a state of shock so much so that she didn't notice when Percy pulled her out of the gym.

Annabeth was waiting for them in an alley down Church Street. She pulled them off the sidewalk just as a fire truck streamed past, heading for Meriwether Prep.

"Where'd you find him?" She demanded, pointing at Tyson.

Alex frowned. Annabeth was a lot ruder than Percy had mentioned. She did know Tyson could hear her, right?

"He's my friend," Percy told her.

"Is he homeless?"

"What does that have to do with anything? He can hear you, you know. Why don't you ask him?"

She looked surprised. "He can talk?"

"I talk," Tyson admitted. "You are pretty."

"Ah! Gross!" Annabeth stepped away from him.

Alex glared at her mainly because of her rude manner partly because she was jealous. Did people calling her pretty make her incredibly uncomfortable? Yes. Did that mean that Tyson had to start calling this new girl pretty? No. Was she pretty? That was irrelevant.

Percy examined Tyson's hands, which Alex was sure must've been badly scorched by the flaming dodge balls, but they looked fine-grimy and scarred, with dirty fingernails the size of potato chips-but they always looked like that. "Tyson," Percy said in disbelief. "Your hands aren't even burned."

"Of course not," Annabeth muttered. "I'm surprised the Laistrygonians had the guts to attack you with him around."

"Bless you." Alex said assuming Annabeth had sneezed in the middle of her sentence.

Tyson seemed fascinated by Annabeth's blond hair. He tried to touch it, but Alex smacked his hand away.

"Annabeth," Percy said, "what are you talking about? Laistry-what?"

"Laistrygonians. The monsters in the gym. They're a race of giant cannibals who live in the far north. Odysseus ran into them once, but I've never seen them as far south as New York before."

"Laistry-I can't even say that. What would you call them in English?"

She thought about it for a moment. "Canadians," she decided. "Now come on, we have to get out of here."

"Canadians are cannibals?!" Alex exclaimed finally gaining Annabeth and Percy's attention.

They both seemed to have forgotten she was there. They shared a look which made her slightly feel left out.

"Um... Annabeth this is my friend Alessandra, Al this is Annabeth." Percy smiled sheepishly.

"Yeah, I got that thanks." She said cooly.

"It's nice to meet you." Annabeth looked Alex up and down as if assessing her.

"I know." She offered her a false smile.