୨⎯ The Daughter of Ares ⎯ ୧ ☾P. JACKSON x FEM OC☽

9. "Are we under arrest?"

"EXCUSE ME? Can I see your tickets, please?" A police officer on the train asked as he approached the four, Annabeth went in her purse to show it to him and handed it to him. He looked at the tickets before he looked at Annabeth. "You're in Cabin 17B?"

After a few seconds, the kids were following the police officer, looking at how destroyed their cabin was, which was strange because no one would break it like that.

"You wanna explain?" Transit officer asked, looking at the four.

"Wait. Wait, you think we did this?" Percy asked, confused.

"Did you?" The transit officer asked again.

"I mean... How? And why?" Percy repeated.

"Sir, when we left to get breakfast, everything was intact. We don't know how this happened." Grover said.

"We got a witness here, says she heard the window smash, and then heard children's noises." The transit officer said as the kids looked at a woman being interrogated.

"Oh, come on." Percy groaned.

"Can you tell me what time you let the cabin?" The transit officer asked.

"Are we under arrest?" Erika asked, staring at the cabin.

"I don't think you wanna take that tone with me, little girl." The transit officer responded.

Erika looked at the transit officer, crossing her arms as she asked, "Are we under arrest?" With a slight louder tone.

The next thing the four knew that they were sitting where they were when they talked about nothing in gene, the officer pacing around as he kept an eye on the kids, especially Erika

"So we're just killing time 'till we find out that guy's like a werewolf or something, right?" Percy asked after a long time of silence. The announcer over PA reminded everyone that the train is arriving at St. Louis Gateway station in 10 minutes.

"I don't think he's a monster." Annabeth responded as she whispered, sitting across from Erika as Erika was sitting next to Percy.

"Well, if he's not a monster, what's going on here?" Percy asked, looking at Grover and Annabeth. "Why would anyone tear our room apart?"

"Maybe they were looking for something." Grover suggested.

"We don't have anything." Erika responded, keeping her eyes on the lady. "The people who think you stole Zeus's masterbolt might disagree."

"Right."

"Well, look, they're not gonna find something we don't have." Grover said.

"Either way, we aren't spending the day answering questions in the St. Louis police station." Erika said, looking at Percy with her arms crossed as the lady walked up. "We need to get out of this before we get delayed."

"D- do you mind if I sit?" The concerned woman asked, placing her Animal case on the table beside the four as she sat down beside the case. "Oh, you poor dears. Your parents aren't here, are they?"

Her animal started whining, quite loudly. "Isn't that right, precious? Don't children get scared when they're all alone? It's okay. I'm a mom. I know how scared you must be." The woman said as she turned to the transit officer, "Excuse me. Would you mind giving us a little space? I think... I think you're making them nervous." She said, glancing at the kids as she spoke.

The transit officer walked off before the woman started speaking again. "I want you to know, I don't actually think you made that mess back there. I just wanted a moment alone with you. There are some things I need you to understand --

"You have something on your jacket." Grover interrupted. "It looks like.. it looks like glass. No one smashed out the windows from inside of our cabin. Someone smashed them in from the outside."

The woman smiled at the four, and the and the bag started moving violently as it whined. "Yes, sweetheart. I know, I know." The woman said before she whispered to the bag, "You're impatient. But we're almost there." She slowly got up and leaned against the table opposite the side of the kid's one.

"This isn't your fault." She said, looking at the kids. "But sadly, you're going to have to bear the burden of your parent's mistakes today."

Before anyone could say anything, Percy started speaking, "Listen, lady. I don't know who you are, but I think I know what you are. We've run across a few monsters like you, and we've sent them all packing.

The woman scoffed, "Monsters like me? Well.. of course, they're like me. They were my children.

"Children? What does that mean?" Percy asked.

"The mother of monsters." Grover said with a slight terror in his tone.

"Echidna." Annabeth said, looking at the woman. Erika was ready to summon her dagger.

Echidna chuckled, Her monster's growling was growing louder and louder. Erika felt Percy's hand slowly holding hers as she felt a slight shiver run down her spine. "Monster." Echidna said, "It's an odd word, considering my grandmother is your great-great grandmother and this has always been a family story. But... to my eye, the demigod is the more dangerous creature. Disruptive. Violent. If I exist for anything, it is to stand in the way of monsters like you. My little one here. She's just a pup now. Bless her heart. Today... you will be her prey."

Echidna's behaviour turned from joyful and caring to serious, "Are you afraid yet?" She asked. "Oh, Its alright. Fear is natural. It's also essential to the hunt. Your fear. Your doubt. Your confusion." She chuckled softly as the monster growled again. Annabeth looked at Erika as she looked back, the two getting ready to fight.

"I needed you to understand what was happening, so that she could track the scent. So that she could learn and grow, because.. that's what a good mother does for her children. Not that you would know."

The growling got louder and louder. Percy gripped on Erika's hand tightly as Erika gripped his hand back. "You should run now." Echidna said, the bag opening softly as the monster pinned something onto Percy, Taking Annabeth before Annabeth dug her dagger onto its skin.

"Go!" Annabeth said before the kids ran, her following behind as the police also ran after the kids.

The kids ran through outside of the cabins, concerning a lot of people with what was happening. The kids decided to stop for a while, Annabeth locking the door so the police officers can't arrest them.

"Percy." Erika said as she took one of a needle looking thing out of Percy's spot where he just got attacked.

"What is that?" Percy asked.

"It's a stinger." Annabeth responded, the officers yelling at them, telling Annabeth to open the door. "Grover, do you know what kind of monster has one of those?" She asked, looking at Grover.

"I don't know. I mean, nothing good, probably." Grover responded.

"Do you feel okay?" Erika asked, pulling her hand away from his as she placed her hand on his shoulder.

"I think so. Why?" He asked, looking back at Erika. "Do you think it's poisonous or something?" He asked, his tone having worry in it

"I'm not sure." Erika said, concerned as the transit officers were yelling. Suddenly the train stopped, the officers went silent as they looked behind them, The door breaking.

"We gotta move!" Grover said, Percy grabbing Erika's hand as they ran again, escaping the train.

"Why isn't it still chasing us?" Erika asked, pulling her hand away from Percy's as she crossed it.

"Echidna said whatever she was hiding in that carrier, its young. It won't venture far from her mother. She's learning to hunt... and this seems like the hunting part." Annabeth responded, the kids trying to find a better place to survive.

Annabeth suggested that they hide at Athena's temple.