[1] 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐃𝐎𝐌 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄 ― p.jackson ✓

007.

"yeah, baby!" somebody behind chiron yelled, "woo-hoooooo!"

"-miami!" chiron yelled, "i'll try to keep watch-"

but the misty screen smashed apart like someone on the other side had thrown a bottle at it, and chiron was gone.

"good talk," gulped cadie, "good shit."

it was an hour later when they spotted land. there was a long stretch of beach lined with high-rise hotels. the water became crowded with fishing boat and tankers. a coast guard cruisers passed on our starboard side, then turned like it wanted to take a second look. perhaps it wasn't everyday they saw a lifeboat with no engine going a knots an hour, manned by four kids.

"that's virginia beach!" annabeth said, "oh my gods, how did the princess andromeda travel so far overnight? that's like-"

"five hundred and thirty nautical miles," percy said almost immediately.

oh he smart, cadie murmured to herself before instantly regretting it and imagining slapping herself in the face, stop acting how lilly and cam think you act!

"how did you know that?" annabeth said.

"i... i'm not sure?" percy spoke, saying it more like a question than an answer. and for some reason, that sent butterflies coursing through cadie's stomach.

"percy what's our position?"

"thirty-six degrees, forty-four minutes north, seventy-six degrees, two minutes west," he blurted immediately. he shook his head moments later, "woah, how did i know that?"

"your dad," annabeth guessed, "but that's so cool. when you're at see, you have perfect bearings."

"so you're like a human gps?" cadie said.

but by the looks of percy's face, perhaps that wasn't the best thing for her to say.

"other boat is coming," percy said, "we can't let them catch us. they'll ask too many questions."

"keep going into chesapeake bay" annabeth said, "i know a place we can hide."

in all fairness, cadie thought the hideout was awesome. woven out of plant material, it looked sound and pretty waterproof. stacked in the corner was everything you could want for a campout – sleeping bags, blankets, an ice chest and a kerosene lamp. there were demigod provisions, too – bronze javelin tips, a quiver full of arrows, an extra sword and a box of ambrosia. the place smelled musty, like it had been vacant for a long time.

"a half-blood hideout," percy said, looking around in awe, "did you guys make this?"

"thalia and i," she said before faltering and adding, "and luke.

"do you think luke would look for us here?" cadie spoke, "i mean... guys like an insane dude right now-" she noticed annabeth's mouth turn to a frown and she added, "but i'm sure he wasn't like that when you met him."

"he won't," annabeth said after a while, "we made a dozen safe houses exactly like this. i doubt luke even remembers where they are. or cares."

she threw herself down on the blankets and started going through her duffel bag. her body language made it pretty clear she didn't want to talk.

"um, tyson?" percy said. "would you mind scouting around outside? like, look for a wilderness convenience store or something?"

"convenience store?"