Chapter 21

"Where did thy come from." Zoe asked in shock. Her mouth hung open as the rest of them stared at me.

"I have been here for a while." I answered while picking up the lion's coat. It transformed into a full-length golden-brown duster. Not exactly my style. So I gave it to Percy.

"We have to get out of here," Grover said. "The security guards won't stay confused for long."

"Yeah, the mist will only confuse them for a little bit before we are called terrorists."

"Again." Percy mumbled but I could hear it.

"It is not the mist I just put a little song on them." Grover said while pointing at the guards who were running around like their heads were chopped off.

"The security guards are not our biggest worry," Zoe said. "Look." 

Through the glass walls of the museum, I could see a group of men walking across the lawn. Gray men in gray camouflage outfits. They were too far away for us to see their eyes, but I could feel their gaze aimed straight at Percy.

"Go," Percy said. "They'll be hunting me. I'll distract them."

"Nah, you guys go I'll hold them off. Even if they get close to killing me, I can just fly away." I said not wanting Percy to die.

"No," Zoe said. "We go together."

"But, you said—" Percy was interrupted.

"You are part of this quest now," Zoe said grudgingly. "I do not like it, but there is no changing fate. You are the fifth quest member. And we are not leaving anyone behind."

"What about Atem?" Percy asked while looking at me.

"I am not a member of this quest, I left camp on my own free will. I didn't leave because of this quest. I assure you that I will assist you but I am not a member of this quest." I stated as Zoe nodded.

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We were crossing the Potomac when we spotted the helicopter. It was like the one at Westover Hall, a sleek, black military model. And the other thing, it was coming stright for us.

"They know the van," Percy said. "We have to ditch it."

I nodded as Zoe drove into the fast lane. The helicopter was gaining on us as we drove.

"Maybe the military will shoot it down," Grover said hopefully.

"I am not the military but I can shoot it down." I said as I rolled down the window.

"NO!" Grover said as he pulled me back.

"It would not be good, the mortals will be harmed." Zoe said.

"Alright." I said as I rolled back up the window.

 "How can the General use mortals, anyway?" Percy asked.

"Mercenaries," Zoe 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?" Percy asked. "Don't they notice all the monsters around them?"

"I do not know how much they see through the Mist. I doubt it would matter to them if they knew the truth. Sometimes mortals can be more horrible than monsters." Zoe spoke bitterly.

I couldn't help but nod, remembering how I was tossed into a dumpster and robbed.

The helicopter kept coming. This was more exciting than the normal drive but can't say I prefer it.

Thalia closed her eyes and prayed hard. "Hey, Dad. A lightning bolt would be nice about now. Please?"

"Hey, I can just explode the helicopter?" Zoe shook her head at me.

"Thee would cause too much destruction and mortal lives would be in danger." Zoe said as he continued to swerve through traffic.

Out of nowhere Bianca spoke, "There!" Bianca said. "That parking lot!"

"We'll be trapped," Zoe said.

"Trust me," Bianca said.

Zoe shot across two lanes of traffic and into a mall parking lot on the south bank of the

river. We left the van and followed Bianca down some steps.

"Subway entrance," Bianca said. "Let's go south. Alexandria."

"Anything," Thalia agreed.

We bought tickets and got through the turnstiles, looking behind us for any signs of pursuit.

A few minutes later we were safely aboard a southbound train, riding away from D.C. As

our train came above ground, we could see the helicopter circling the parking lot, but it

didn't come after us.

Grover let out a sigh. "Nice job, Bianca, thinking of the subway."

"Yeah good job." I said as Bianca smiled at being praised.

"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."

Grover frowned. "New? But that station looked really old."

I frowned too as we all looked towards Bianca. 

"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 slowly.

I looked around the subway. "There's no way this thing is only 12 years old. It looks like its 50 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." I added and they nodded.

Over the next half hour, all we thought about was getting away safely. We changed trains

twice. I had no idea where we were going, but after a while we lost the helicopter.

Unfortunately, when we finally got off the train we found ourselves 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, but I couldn't notice it due to me always being warm.

We wandered around, looking for a subway but sadly we couldn't find noting besides cars that haven't moved in years.

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

We went around the fire as Thaila teeth chattered. "Well this is g-g-g great." 

"My hooves are frozen," Grover complained.

"Feet." Percy quickly corrected him.

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

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

We looked around but sadly we saw noting. I felt angry as the fire grew. Luke was out there, living. And here I was, stuck with in DC.

"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 I 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. "Thanks, uh…"

We turned around and the homeless man disappeared, the fire gone out. We stared at the place where the homeless man was for a few seconds before we walked to the train.

An hour later we were rumbling west. No problem with who was driving since we were in our own luxury cars, well I was siting outside, laying on a car. Zoe and Bianca were crashed out in a Lexus on the top deck. Grover was playing race car driver behind the wheel of a Lamborghini. And Thalia had hot-wired the radio in a black Mercedes SLK so she could pick up the alt-rock stations from D.C. Percy was siting with Thaila talking.

I was more or so on the top deck, well more assigned.

I closed my eyes as I tried to focus. I felt the air around us. I saw the outlines of them and the cars. It was like a child's drawing. Not very clear but I could sense people. I should call this ability, Air sense. Well I need to practice this until I can use it in battle.

I wanted to try something with my fire now.

I had pretty good defense but what if I could punish those who hit me? So I present to you, fire skin. I will simply light myself on fire and use it as thorns.

Well I have tried this before but it wasn't as good as I thought. But if I do manage to master it to a degree where it will be useful in battle, then it will be good.

I light myself on fire and for the next 10 minutes try to form it into a layer that covers my whole body. And apparently I was so focused that I didn't notice Zoe, Grover, and Bianca shamelessly using me as a fire place as they huddled around me.

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Taisho Secret

As they continued to drive the train west, Bianca, Grover and Zoe ended up sleeping around Atem because he was a makeshift campfire. Atem also didn't stop setting himself on fire until the train stopped.