❛007❜
THEY WERE CROSSING THE potomac when they spotted the helicopter. it was a sleek black military model just like the one they'd seen at westover hall. and it was coming straight towards them.
ivy had taken a piece of ambrosia, just enough to bring her energy back after taking down the nemean lion.
"they know the van," percy said. "we have to ditch it."
zoë swerved into the fast lane. the helicopter was gaining.
ivy squinted her eyes at the flying transport. "we should get one of those," she mumbled.
percy having heard what she said, snorted. "yeah? we get the helicopter and then none of us know how to fly it."
"i could learn," the brunette said with a shrug. "instead of doing quests on vans we could do them in the air."
percy shook his head in amusement.
"maybe the military will shoot it down," grover said hopefully.
"the military probably thinks it's one of theirs," percy said. "how can the general use mortals, anyway?"
"mercenaries," zoë said 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?" the son of poseidon asked. "don't they notice all the monsters around them?"
ivy shook her head. "it's impossible to know how much they see through the mist. chances are they wouldn't care if they knew the truth."
"sometimes mortals can be more horrible than monsters," zoe said with conviction.
the helicopter kept coming, making a much better time than they were through d.c. traffic. ivy couldn't help but think how convenient it would be for camp to have one. beckendorf probably knew how to fly one, at least in theory.
thalia closed her eyes and prayed hard. "hey, dad. a lightning bolt would be nice about now. please?"
but the sky stayed grey and snowy. no sign of a helpful thunderstorm.
"there!" bianca said. "that parking lot!"
"we'll be trapped," zoë said.
"trust me," bianca said.
zoë shot across two lanes of traffic and into a mall parking lot on the south bank of the river. they left the van and followed bianca down some steps.
"subway entrance," bianca said. "let's go south. alexandria."
"anything," thalia agreed.
they bought tickets and got through the turnstiles, looking behind them for any signs of pursuit. a few minutes later they were safely aboard a southbound train, riding away from d.c. as their train came above ground, they could see the helicopter circling the parking lot, but it didn't come after them.
ivy send a nod to bianca, "nice job, that was quick thinking."
bianca looked pleased with her compliment. "yeah, well. i remembered that station from when nico and i came through last summer. i was 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 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.
ivy didn't see how their whole subway system could be less than twelve years old. she guessed everyone else was thinking the same thing, because they looked pretty confused.
"bianca," zoë 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. ivy 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 here. ivy "the-furnace" fitzgerald didn't feel it. her friends huddled close to her for some sort of warmth, she wanted to make a ball of light for warmth but percy insisted that she had restrained enough for the day, that they never knew when a fight was coming and she needed her strength.
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.
a homeless guy was standing at a trashcan fire. they must've looked pretty pathetic, because he gave us a toothless grin and said, "y'all need to get warmed up? come on over!"
they wobbled around his fire. thalia's teeth were chattering. she said, "well this is g-g-g-great."
"my hooves are frozen," grover complained.
"feet," percy corrected, for the sake of the homeless guy.
"maybe we should contact camp," bianca said. "chiron –"
"no," zoë said. "they cannot help us any more. we must finish this quest ourselves."
ivy gazed miserably around the railway yard. somewhere, far to the west, annabeth was in danger. artemis was in chains. a doomsday monster was on the loose. and they were stuck on the outskirts of d.c. sharing a homeless person's fire.
"you know," the homeless man said, "you're never completely without friends." his face was grimy and his beard tangled, but his expression seemed kindly. "you kids need a train going west?"
"yes, sir," percy said. "you know of any?"
he pointed one greasy hand.
suddenly ivy noticed a freight train, gleaming and free of snow. it was one of those automobile-carrier trains, with steel mesh curtains and a triple-deck of cars inside. the side of the freight train said sun west line.
"that's... convenient," thalia said.
"thank you..." ivy turned to the homeless guy, but he was gone.
the trashcan in front of us was cold and empty, as if he'd taken the flames with him.
an hour later they were rumbling west. there was no problem about who would drive now, because they all got their own luxury car. zoë and bianca were crashed out in a lexus on the top deck. grover was playing race-car driver behind the wheel of a lamborghini. thalia had hot-wired the radio in a black mercedes slk so she could pick up the alt rock stations from d.c. ivy found herself a range rover evoque towards the back, having common sense in that the biggest cars have the biggest seats
she settled herself in the back seat. grateful for her short stature that allowed her to fit in without cramping. she used her tote bag as a pillow, but no matter how much she tossed and turned, no position felt comfortable.
a while after, there was a knock on the window above her head. she sat up.
"can i?" percy sounded muffled through the glass.
ivy nodded, opening the backseat door and scooting to the other side of the car. percy slid in, his big coat made him look like he occupied a lot of space.
"thalia kicked me out," percy said, leaning his back against the car door. their legs were tangled together as ivy had the same same position as him.
ivy snorted. "what did you do?"
"i brought up luke."
"it's a miracle you're not a fish stick then."
there was a few moments of silence.
"i'm sorry," percy blurted out.
"about?" ivy asked. she hoped he was meaning to apologize about him getting angry of her indecision to join the hunters, she was still a bit salty about that.
percy sighed. "i– i was being unfair... i should have thought about your feelings with everything going on at camp and with luke. i didn't think you would hide what was really going on. i– i'll support you with any decision you make, that's what i should've done to begin with."
ivy analyzed him in the dim light. he truly looked apologetic of his action. she wouldn't forgive him if he wasn't sincere.
"it's okay," she told him. "you couldn't have known if i didn't tell you. and... thank you. i really needed to hear someone supported me." ivy smiled softly at him.
he returned the smile with the same delicacy. "thalia said we're going to san francisco."
ivy winced. "i haven't been there in a while..."
a while was an understatement. she hasn't been in her home city since her father's death. mostly because she wasn't eager to go, but also because of the mountain of despair. full of lingering titan magic, and vicious monsters.
"did she tell you about the mountain of despair?" she asked.
percy shook his head. "that's when she kicked me out."
ivy laughed, pulling her hair out of the ponytail that's been sitting on her head for too long.
"annabeth's dad is moving to san francisco," he said. "that's what she wanted to tell you in westover hall."
"oh."
percy nodded. "but half-bloods can't live there. so she's... pretty bummed out, you know."
ivy hummed in acknowledgement . she massaged her aching scalp, taking tight ponytails out was the worst. her best friend has been working on rebuilding her relationship with her dad, ivy had no doubt annabeth took it hard if her father wanted to move to the one place she couldn't live safely in.
"she can live there," she said. "i did. it's just... a bit risky. she could do it though, if she's careful. but why didn't she tell me earlier?"
"she wanted your advice. so she wanted to tell you in person, i guess. and you'll give her advice when we get her back." percy said the last part with force, like he wanted not only her to believe it but himself too.
ivy swallowed thickly before yawning. she sat up from her slumped position against the car door, seating herself properly in the backseat. percy stayed leaning against the car door, ivy lifted his legs and placed them on her lap so they both could stay comfortable. she wanted to sleep a bit but was too scared to be pulled into another dream of annabeth being in danger.
"oh, don't be afraid of dreams," a voice said from between the front seats.
she looked up from her lap. somehow, ivy wasn't surprised to find the homeless guy from the railway yard sitting in the shotgun seat with his elbows propping his head in the storage compartment. his jeans were so worn out they were almost white. his coat was ripped, with stuffing coming out. he looked kind of like a teddy bear that had been run over by a truck.
"if it weren't for dreams," he said, "i wouldn't know half the things i know about the future. they're better than olympus tabloids." he cleared his throat, then held up his hands dramatically:
"dreams like a podcast,
downloading truth in my ears.
they tell me cool stuff."
ivy looked to her right, percy had his arms folded behind his head. after taking a second to appreciate how good he looked, she deadpanned, "apollo," nobody else could make a haiku that bad.
the god put his finger to his lips. "i'm incognito. call me fred."
percy looked amused. "a god named fred?"
"eh, well... zeus insists on certain rules. hands off, when there's a human quest. even when something really major is wrong. but nobody messes with my baby sister. nobody."
"can you help us, then?" ivy asked.
"shhh. i already have. haven't you been looking outside?" apollo gestured his thumb backwards.
"the train," the brunette said. "how fast are we moving?"
apollo chuckled. "fast enough. unfortunately, we're running out of time. it's almost sunset. but i imagine we'll get you across a good chunk of america, at least."
"but where is artemis?" asked percy.
the god's face darkened. "i know a lot, and i see a lot. but even i don't know that. she's... clouded from me. i don't like it."
ivy hesitated. "and annabeth?'
apollo frowned. "oh, you mean that girl you lost? hmm. i don't know."
the brunette struggled not to throw a punch, she resorted to gripping percy's knee. he didn't complain at the probable pain she accidentally gave him, by the way his muscle arm muscles tensed he struggled not to lash out too. they both knew the gods had a hard time taking mortals seriously, even half-bloods. they lived such short lives, compared to the gods.
"What about the monster artemis was seeking?'" ivy asked. "do you know what it is?"
"no," apollo said. "but there is one who might. if you haven't yet found the monster when you reach san francisco, seek out nereus, the old man of the sea. he has a long memory and a sharp eye. he has the gift of knowledge sometimes kept obscure from my oracle."
"but it's your oracle," percy protested, bringing his arms down from behind his head and crossing them over his chest. both positions still distracting to ivy. "can't you tell us what the prophecy means?"
apollo sighed. "you might as well ask an artist to explain his art, or ask a poet to explain his poem. it defeats the purpose. the meaning is only clear through the search."
"in other words," ivy said. "you don't know."
apollo checked his watch. "ah, look at the time! i have to run. i doubt i can risk helping you both again, but remember what i said! great progress on your powers ivy, you're almost there! get some sleep! and when you return, i expect a good haiku about your journey!"
ivy wanted to protest that she wasn't tired and ask where she almost was, but apollo snapped his fingers. she was halfway sleep when she realized she felt something furry under her fingertips.
in her dream, ivy was somebody else. she was wearing an old-fashioned greek tunic, which was a little too breezy, and laced leather sandals. she was gripping a boy's hand tightly. they were running somewhere. the boy had the nemean lion's skin wrapped around his back like a cape.
"hurry!" she said. it was too dark to see the boy's face clearly. ivy could feel the girl's own fear in her bones. "he will find us!"
it was night-time. a million stars blazed above. they were running through tall grass, and the scent of a thousand different flowers made the air intoxicating. it was a beautiful garden, and yet she was leading the boy through it as if they were about to die.
"i'm not afraid," the boy tried to tell her.
"you should be!" she said, pulling him along.
they raced up the side of the hill. she pulled the boy behind a thorn bush and they collapsed, both breathing heavily. ivy didn't know why she was scared, or why the boy seemed so nonchalant. the garden seemed so peaceful.
"there is no need to run," the boy told her. his voice was deep and confident. "i have bested a thousand monsters with my bare hands."
"not this one," she said. "ladon is too strong. you must go round, up the mountain to my father. it is the only way."
the hurt in her own voice surprised ivy. she was really concerned, almost like she cared about the boy.
"i don't trust your father," the boy said.
"you should not," she agreed. "you will have to trick him. but you cannot take the prize directly. you will die!"
he chuckled. "then why don't you help me, pretty one?"
"i... i am afraid. ladon will stop me. my sisters, if they found out... they would disown me."
"then there's nothing for it." the boy stood up, tall and proud, rubbing his hands together.
"wait!" she said.
ivy seemed to be agonizing over a decision. then, her fingers trembling, she reached up and plucked a long white brooch from her hair. "if you must fight, take this. my mother, pleione, gave it to me. she was a daughter of the ocean, and the ocean's power is within it. my immortal power."
she breathed on the pin and it glowed faintly. it gleamed in the starlight like polished abalone.
"take it,' she told the boy. "and make of it a weapon."
he laughed. "a hairpin? how will this slay ladon, pretty one?"
"it may not," she admitted. "but it is all i can offer, if you insist on being stubborn."
the boy's expression softened at her words. he reached down and took the hairpin, and, as he did, it grew longer until he held a familiar bronze sword.
"well balanced," he said. "though, i usually prefer to use my bare hands. what shall i name this blade?"
"anaklusmos," she said sadly. "the current that takes one by surprise. and before you know it you have been swept out to sea."
there was a trampling sound in the grass, a hiss like air escaping a tyre, and she said, "too late! he is here!"
ivy was jerked awake. percy looked down at her drowsily. then she realized she had fallen asleep on top of him, he had his arms around her waist loosely.
blushing furiously, she sat up and looked around. hoping that nobody saw that they have been cuddling, more specifically the two hunters.
"i, uh– i think the train's stopped. it– um, looks like morning," percy said awkwardly, his voice deeper and groggy from sleep. there was a blush coating his cheeks. ivy stopped herself from blushing again by just looking at him.
after hurriedly getting out of the car without saying much else. the two teens scrambled out of the awkward situation when they noticed thalia, zoë and bianca had already rolled up the metal curtains. outside were snowy mountains dotted with pine trees, the sun rising red between two peaks.
ivy saw percy fished his pen out of my pocket, he stared at it. anaklusmos, the ancient greek name for riptide. a different form, but ivy was sure it was the same blade she'd seen in her dream. a dream that percy seemed to have experienced, too.
she was sure of something else, too. the girl she had seen was zoë nightshade.
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ﾟ。 a's notes
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im spoiling u ways w chapter after chapter
thEY CUDDLED. yEP.
percy makes me blush like,,, a lot um n e ways.
thoughts???