'•' The Titan's Curse '•' [In Progress]

10 :: Untitled

Written: December 24, 2022
Published:
Edited: N/A
'•'

     We were crossing the Potomac when we spotted the helicopter. It was a sleek, black military model just like the one I'd drowned at Westover Hall. And it was coming straight 
toward us.

"They know the van," Percy said, smacking my arm as I flipped off the helicopter through the window. "We have to ditch it."

Zoe swerved into the fast lane. The helicopter was gaining.

"Maybe the military will shoot it down," Grover suggested hopefully.

"The military probably thinks it's one of theirs," I sighed. "How can the General use mortals, anyway?"

"Mercenaries," Zoe spat bitterly. "It is distasteful, but many mortals will fight for any cause as long as they are paid."

"But don't these mortals see who they're working for?" I asked. "Don't they notice all the monsters around them?"

Zoe shook her head. "I do not know how much they see through the Mist. I doubt it would matter to them if they knew the truth. Sometimes, mortals can be more horrible than monsters."

The helicopter kept coming, making a lot better time than we were through D.C. traffic.

Thalia closed her eyes and prayed hard. "Hey, Dad. A lightning bolt would be nice about now. Please?"

But the sky stayed gray and snowy. No sign of a helpful thunderstorm.

"There!" Bianca pointed. "That parking lot!"

"We'll be trapped," Zoe shook her head.

"Trust me," Bianca said.

Zoe shot across two lanes of traffic and into a mall parking lot on the south bank of the river. We left the van and followed Bianca down some steps.

"Subway entrance," Bianca smiled. "Let's go south. Alexandria."

"Anything," Thalia agreed. We bought tickets and got through the turnstiles, looking behind us for any signs of
pursuit.

A few minutes later, we were safely aboard a southbound train, riding away from D.C.

As our train came above ground, we could see the helicopter circling the parking lot, but it didn't come after us.

Grover let out a sigh. "Nice job, Bianca, thinking of the subway."

Bianca looked pleased. "Yeah, well. I saw that station when Nico and I came through last summer. I remember being really surprised to see it, because it wasn't here when we used to live in D.C."

Grover frowned. "New? But that station looked really old."

"I guess," Bianca shrugged. "But trust me, when we lived here as little kids, there was no subway."

Thalia sat forward. "Wait a minute. No subway at all?"

Bianca nodded.

Now, I knew nothing about D.C., but I knew their whole subway system could not be less than twelve years old.

I guess everyone else was thinking the same thing, because they looked pretty confused.