"Uh, Reyna," Jason said, "if you don't mind, I'd like to show Piper around before the senate meeting. She's never seen New Rome."

Percy tensed. He was about to ask the same thing to Reyna. But this is different. He may be oblivious, but he isn't stupid enough not to know that Reyna had some feelings for Jason. The son of Jupiter was very, very, very dense not to see Reyna's expression right now and he had the nerve to display Piper in front of the female praetor.

Asking Reyna to give Piper a field trip around the city is like Jason saying," Look at me! I have a Cherokee sexy hot girlfriend, whom I chose over you! Nyah, nyah, née, nyah!" Although, Percy doubted if Jason would actually say that, unless he wanted Reyna to scalp, burn and stake him alive, and bring him back from the dead just to do it again—which was likely, since the Doors of Death were open.

Percy also realized not long ago that Reyna had a crush on him. He sympathized with Reyna. Two stupid idiotic boys technically shooed her away.

'Yeah,' Percy thought, 'and I am one of those guilty stupid idiotic boys.'

He loved Annabeth alright, and he wasn't going to leave her again for the world. 'Much less Reyna,' he choked.

He was pulled out of his tread of thoughts when Reyna said super coldly, "Of course".

Here it goes, Percy thought readily. He held Annabeth's hand. "Yeah, me, too. I'd like to show Annabeth—"

"No," Reyna snapped.

'Why am I not surprised?' Percy wanted to say. Instead, he knit his eyebrows and said "Sorry?" convincingly in order to appease Reyna a little, and maybe she would allow them to frolic around the camp playing hide-and-seek. It didn't work, unfortunately.

"I'd like a few words with Annabeth. Alone. If you don't mind, my fellow praetor." Reyna demanded gently.

One thing Percy learned from Reyna? Respect her. Or else.

He was unable to say anything else though. Reyna stood up from the couch regally and beckoned Annabeth to walk with her.

Defeated, Percy sat down and ordered blue cherry coke, his favorite comfort food. He really could use some comfort right now.

Percy drank quietly for a while, waiting for Reyna and Annabeth to return... when suddenly, he heard it— an almighty explosion that rocked the forum. BOOM!

He fell from his seat. Percy looked around quickly, and saw that it had come from the Argo II.

'Octavian!' he realized. The Romans around him started to give him looks that could kill. He got up and ran for the fountain. No sense waiting for the Romans to actually kill him.

A centurion blocked his way. " You betrayed us!" he shouted.

"No! I didn't!" Percy raised his hands like a sign of surrender.

Suddenly, he felt pain behind his head. He staggered, and saw ceramic shards fall from his toga. Hurt and dazed, he looked up and saw the Roman demigods gather around him all armed with various pieces of food and utensils. Percy never realized how deadly a banana could be, especially when he almost experienced it first-hand. Almost.

An elephant scattered the demigods. Percy stood up shakily. "Frank!" he shouted at the elephant. "Don't hurt them!"

The elephant looked at him with confusion. Percy would have laughed if the circumstances were different. Seeing an elephant confounded is weird.

"Go to the fountain! We are trapped anyway! We cannot escape." Percy ducked past another Roman. And he threw himself in the fountain's waters.

Strength filled him. His head did not hurt anymore. He got up and saw Frank and Hazel sprinting towards him. A barrage of forks appeared out of nowhere and chased them. Reacting quickly, Percy sent a stream of water and whipped away the utensils.

Frank and Hazel jumped in as Percy doused the Romans with more water, keeping them at bay. About stone's throw to his right, he saw Jason and Piper trying to calm the Romans. It isn't working and Jason's forehead is bleeding...

Fauns and ghosts also mixed with the crowd.

'Annabeth, where are you?!' he thought desperately. Another blast exploded in the city. He thought he heard someone call his name. He looked around and saw Annabeth running toward him.

"Annabeth!" Percy called as he repelled the mob. "What—?"

"I don't know," Annabeth yelled.

A pitchy voice cried from above. "I'll tell you what!"

Percy cursed in Greek. He only knew that voice from someone, and that person is Octavian.

" The Greeks have fired on us!" Octavian said as he reached the bottom of the ladder. " Your boy Leo has trained his weapons on Rome!"

Percy gritted his teeth. 'Yeah right, and my name is Dora the Explorer,"he thought.

"You're lying," Annabeth said. "Leo would never—"

"I was just there!" Octavian shrieked. "I saw it with my own eyes!" He widened his eyes for emphasis.

'Liars go to Tartarus,' Percy thought again as he doused more legionnaires with water.

The Argo II returned fire and hit the Roman catapults. Percy felt cold. Leo is the only one aboard the the flying ship. What if Octavian is actually telling the truth?

"You see?" Octavian screamed. " Romans, kill the invaders!"

Annabeth turned to Percy. "We have to leave. Now."

Percy nodded slowly. "Hazel, Frank, you got to make a choice. Are you coming?"

Hazel looked scared out of her wits. She put on her cavalry helmet. "Of course we are. But you'll never make it to the ship unless we buy you some time."

"How?" Annabeth asked.

Hazel whistled. A streak of beige swiftly shot across the forum. Arion suddenly was in front of Percy. The horse reared, scattering the mob. Hazel climbed on his back and told them to send her an Iris-message and they'll rendezvous. Arion zipped through the crowd, creating mass panic.

Percy rushed forward. He heard Jason plead with the Romans once more. Percy saw a brick hit Jason, and he crumpled. Piper screamed at the Romans to get back, and Percy observed that the Romans actually hesitated but they began to surge forward again. The couple need help.

"Frank, it's up to you. Can you help them?" Percy asked urgently.

Frank said yes and urged Percy to get up the ropes immediately. As they reached the ladder, Percy saw Octavian still clinging to the bottom. The son of the sea god yanked Octavian off angrily and threw him into the mob. Served him right.

Fran charged through the forum in dragon form.

" Is that...?" Annabeth asked.

"Frank. He has a few special talents," Percy clarified.

"Understatement. Keep climbing!" Annabeth said.

Percy finally hit the deck. He glanced around and saw that the ship is destructed dramatically.

He froze when he saw Leo.

" Leo!" Annabeth screamed. " What are you doing?"

"Destroy them...Destroy them all," Leo said robotically. He turned back to the ballista.

'No more!' Percy rushed forward and threw himself onto Leo. Hephaestus' son hit the deck hard and he became unconscious.

Dragon Frank deposited Piper and Jason who both collapsed.

Percy turned to Annabeth. What is she waiting for?

"Go!" Percy yelled hoarsely. "Get us out of here!"

Annabeth seemed to snap out of her thoughts. She ran for the helm. She yanked the throttle straight back and Percy braced himself and Leo as the bow turned up in a horrifying ninety degrees angle. The warship shot into the sky and away from New Rome. Percy gave the city one last glance before looking away.