A BLACK HEART

THE BATTLE OF MANHATTAN

A/N:-

"Fine, come on let's go!" Percy said quickly. "Grab on to me, tightly."

Cam held Percy's left hand and Hector took his right hand as Percy jumped into a shadow, which wasn't really difficult as it was midnight.

They appeared on a building on top of Williamsburg bridge, which blazed with light. Cars were burning. Arcs of fire streamed in both directions as flaming arrows and spears sailed through the air.

The Apollo campers were retreating. They would hide behind cars and snipe at the approaching army, setting off explosive arrows and dropping caltrops in the road, building fiery barricades wherever they could, dragging sleeping drivers out of their cars to get them out of harm's way. But the enemy kept advancing.

An entire phalanx of dracaenae marched in the lead, their shields locked together, spear tips bristling over the top. An occasional arrow would connect with their snaky trunks, or a neck, or a chink in their armor, and the unlucky snake woman would disintegrate, but most of the Apollo arrows glanced harmlessly off their shield wall. About a hundred more monsters marched behind them. Hellhounds leaped ahead of the line from time to time. Most were destroyed with arrows, but one got hold of an Apollo camper and dragged him away.

In the middle of the invading legion was the Minotaur.

From the waist down, he wore standard Greek battle gear—a kiltlike apron of leather and metal flaps, bronze greaves covering his legs, and tightly wrapped leather sandals. His top was all bull—hair and hide and muscle leading to a head so large he should've toppled over just from the weight of his horns. A double-bladed axe was strapped to his back, but he was too impatient to use it.

He smelled Hector as his nostrils flared up and looked in their direction and suddenly picked up a white Limousine.

"Oh, shit!" Hector shouted as the limo came sailing toward them, flipping fender over fender like a two-ton boomerang.

Percy jumped to the right, Cam rolled to the left and Hector ducked as the limo sailed over his head, missing by maybe two inches. It cleared the suspension lines of the bridge and fell toward the East River. Monsters jeered and shouted, and the Minotaur picked up another car.

"Percy, we need to get to the ground," Hector said.

Percy nodded and jumped off the side of the building without thinking twice.

"What the fuck?" Hector muttered to himself.

"He's always like that… Come on," Cam said and hopped down.

"Alright, here goes nothing," Hector said and leaped off as well.

They landed down behind an overturned school bus, where a couple of campers were hiding.

Michael Yew ran up to them. He had a bandaged cut on his arm. His ferrety face was smeared with soot and his quiver was almost empty, but he was smiling like he was having a great time. Annabeth was by his side, helping the Apollo campers.

"Glad you guys could join us," Annabeth said. "Where are the other reinforcements?"

"For now, we're it," Hector said.

"Then we're dead," Michael said.

"You still have your flying chariot?" Cam asked.

"Nah," Michael said. "Left it at camp. I told Clarisse she could have it. Whatever, you know? Not worth fighting about anymore. But she said it was too late. We'd insulted her honor for the last time or some stupid thing."