𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐄

𝐗𝐕

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."

Selene frowned. "New? Girl, this station looks older than my father. And he's old old."

"I guess," Bianca said. "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.

Thalia glanced at Selene, and they both had their brows furrowed. She knew nothing about D.C., but she didn't see how their whole subway system could be less than twelve years old.

"Bianca," Zoe said. "How long ago..." Her voice faltered. The sound of the helicopter was getting louder again.

"We need to change trains," Percy said. "Next station."

Over the next half hour, all they thought about was getting away safely. They changed trains twice. Selene had no idea where they were going, but after a while they lost the helicopter.

Unfortunately, when they finally got off the train they found themselves at the end of the line, in an industrial area with nothing but warehouses and railway tracks. And snow. Lots of snow. It seemed much colder there. Selene was glad Percy lent her his new lion's fur coat.

They wandered through the railway yard, thinking there might be another passenger train somewhere, but there were just rows and rows of freight cars, most of which were covered in snow, like they hadn't moved in years. Zoe held Selene by her shoulders, as she was still a little weak and dazing. Percy had volunteered himself for it, yet Zoe just gave him the dirtiest look ever.

A homeless guy was standing at a trash can fire. They must've looked pretty pathetic, because he gave them a toothless grin and said, "Y'all need to get warmed up? Come on over!'

They huddled around his fire, Thalia's teeth were chattering. She said, "Well this is g-g-ggreat."

"My hooves are frozen," Grover complained.

"Feet," Percy corrected, glancing at the homeless guy.

"Maybe we should contact camp," Bianca said. "Chiron—"

"No," Zoe said. "They cannot help us anymore. We must finish this quest ourselves."

Selene gazed miserably around the rail yard. Somewhere, far to the west, Percy's friend was in danger. Artemis was in chains. A doomsday monster was on the loose. She was half-collapsed, half-awaken. And they were stuck on the outskirts of D.C., sharing a homeless person's fire.

The guy turned to Selene, "Are you sick?"

"W-we-eak." She managed to say.

He smiled at her. "A strong girl like you... If you're unaware of how strong you can get, you can easily get drained. Right?" He winked at her. "May I take a closer look?"

The homeless guy leaned toward her, and surprisingly enough, Zoe allowed it, stepping away. He gently touched her forehead and closed his eyes.

"You're too inexperienced." His mouth didn't move. It was like he was speaking to her mind. "Too human, Selene. You won't sustain your full power when you need it. I'll give you a hand, but it'll be just palliative."

He took his finger from her forehead and walked away from her. She thought he was just a weird guy, as nothing really happened, but suddenly all her body erupted energy once again as if she'd taken a can of Redbull.