Disclaimer: I do not own the PJO series

Chapter 11

We were crossing the Potomac, when we spotted the helicopter. It was a sleek, black military model just like the one we'd seen at Westover Hall. And it was coming straight at us.

"They know the van," I said. "We have to ditch it." Zoe swerved into the fast lane. The helicopter was gaining.

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

Audrey shook her head. "The military probably thinks it's one of theirs," I said. "How can the General use mortals, anyway?"

Zoe opened her mouth, but Audrey beat her to it. "Mercenaries. Not exactly the best, but many mortals will fight for any cause as long they get paid." She said it like she had met a couple or like she had experienced it.

"But don't these mortals see who they're working for?" I asked. "Don't they notice all the monsters around them?"

Audrey shook her head. "Mortals can't see through the mist that easily. But, what's the use if they know the truth? Sometimes mortals can be more horrible than the monsters, themselves."

The helicopter kept coming, making a lot better time than we were through D.C. traffic.

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

But the sky stayed gray and snowy. No sign of a helpful thunderstorm. Audrey shook her head. "It's no use. Even if Zeus wanted to help you, he can't. Once he strikes that lightning, the helicopter, it will crash into the cars behind us, killing and injuring the innocents. Do you want to innocent citizens to die?" said Audrey.

Thalia bit her lip, as we all did.

"There!" Bianca said. "That parking a lot!"

"We'll be trapped." Zoe said.

"Trust me." Said Bianca.

Zoe shot across the 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.

Audrey held out something in her hands, and they were train passes. She smirked, as we grabbed them. We got through the trunstiles, 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 didn't come after us.

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

Bianca looked pleased. "Yeah, well. I saw that station when Nico and I came through last summer. I remembered 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."

"Built about over 50 years, I think. Give or take." Said Audrey. We looked at her. "What? I like buildings and history, and stuff!"

Thalia sat forward. "Wait a minute. No subway at all?" Bianca nodded. Now, I knew nothing about D.C., but I didn't see how their whole subway system could be less than twelve years old. I guess everyone was thinking the same thing, because they looked pretty confused.

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

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

Over the next half hour, all we thought was getting away safely. We changed train twice. I had no idea where we were going, but after a while we lost the helicopter. Audrey had this look on her face, like she was thinking, for the whole time we switched trains.

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 trucks. And snow. Lots of snow. It seemed much colder here. I was glad my new lion's fur coat.

We 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 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 huddled around his fire, Thalia's teeth were chattering. She said, "Well this is g-g-g-great. " Audrey stared at the homeless guy for a while, until he gave her a look, like they knew something.

"My hooves are frozen," Grover complained.

"Feet." I corrected, for the sake of the homeless guy.

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

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

I gazed miserably around the rail yard. Somewhere, far to the west, Annabeth was in danger. Artemis was stuck in chains. A doomsday monster was on the loose. And we were stuck on the outskirt of D.C., sharing 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," I said. "You know of any?" He pointed one greasy hand.

Suddenly I noticed a freight train, gleaming ad free of snow. It was one of those automobile-carrier train, 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... "

She turned to the homeless guy, but he was gone. The trash can in front of us was cold and empty, as if he'd taken the flames with him.

Audrey sneezed, mumbling. "God."

An hour later we were rumbling west. There was no problem about who drive now, because we all got our own luxury car. Zoe and Bianca were crushed 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 raido in a black Mercededs SLK so she could pick up from the alt-rock stations from D.C.

I had just finished talking with Thalia and I felt pretty glum. I went to look for Audrey and she was at the top deck. She had picked out a red Ferrari and saw me. She motioned me in, as I opened the door. She pulled her trench coat off and switched it around. The back of her coat, faced the front, as she looped her hands through the sleeves. Ta-da! It's a blanket with sleeves!

She was tracing the horse on the wheel, with a soft expression. "You..ah love Ferraris?" I asked. She looked over to me and laughed softly. "I guess you could say that. I have a small obsessions for cars. I always liked Ferraris and I like them even more, because they have a horse on it."

"You love horses?" I asked.

She held out her hands up, like she was guilty. A smile played on her lips. "Guilty as charged."

The silver trident on her eye patch shined.

"I've been wondering…You're a demigod and you seem like you know who you're godly parent is, why don't you tell us? Should you be wearing your parent's symbol?" I asked. Audrey looked at me, and then in front. Her fingers drummed on the wheel.

"I-it…." She sighed. "It makes me feel connected to my mother and brother."

Oh. Now I felt like I was walking on egg shells. "A-ah…sorry. You don't have to tell." I said.

She smiled, before shaking her head. "No, it's fine. I need someone to talk to." She took in a deep breath. "When I was a child, I had a twin brother. My mother loved us both equally. Every summer, we would go to the sea side and play day and night. Every so often, we would see an old, rich couple driving a red Ferrari and we both loved horses. After I lost them…it was saddening."

"Are they-" I bit my tongue.

She smiled. "No. They're alive. It's just…after an accident, they think I'm dead. Do you know how hard it is, to go to your family and say 'Hi you guys, I'm alive!'?" she pasued. "Not so easy. Since your father's symbol is a trident, it made me feel closer. Your dad is the god of the sea and creator of horses, so…ya." She explained. She laughed a little, without humour. She dug into her bag and held out a snickers bar. "Want one?"

I took it, as she opened a Kit-Kat bar. She took a bite, as I took a bite out of my snicker bar. After a couple of bites, Audrey yawned. She rubbed her eyes and looked at me. "Too bad, I can't brush my teeth. Anyways, I'm going to catch some Z's. Night, Percy. You might want to get out, cause I snore, drool, and talk in my sleep. Occasionally, sleep walk." She pulled her earphones on, as she pulled the lever. The seat was pushed backwards and after a couple of minutes, she fell asleep.

I reached over and tucked her scarf in a little. I watched the sun go down , I thought of Annabeth. I was afraid to go to sleep. I was worried what I might dream.

"Oh, don't be afraid of dreams," a voice said right behind me.

I looked over. Somehow, I wasn't surprised to find the homeless guy from the railyard sitting in the back. 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"

Apollo?" I guessed, because I figured nobody else could make a haiku that bad.

He put his finger to his lips. "I'm incognito. Call me Fred. "

"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?"

"Shhh. I already have. Haven't you been looking outside?"

"The train. 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?"

His 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. "

"And Annabeth?"

He frowned. "Oh, you mean that girl you lost? Hmm. I don't know. "

I tried not to feel mad. I knew the gods had a hard time taking mortals seriously, even half-bloods. We lived such short lives, compared to the gods.

"What about the monster Artemis was seeking?" I 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, " I protested. "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, you don't know. "

Apollo checked his watch. "Ah, look at the time! I have to run. I doubt I can risk helping you again, Percy, but remember what I said! Get some sleep! And when you return, I expect a good haiku about your journey!"

I wanted to protest that I wasn't tired and I'd never made up a haiku in my life, but Apollo snapped his fingers, and the next thing I knew I was closing my eyes.

In my dream, I was somebody else. I was wearing an old-fashioned Greek tunic, which was a little too breezy downstairs, and laced leather sandals. The Nemean Lion's skin was wrapped around my back like a cape, and I was running somewhere, being pulled along by a girl who was tightly gripping my hand.

"Hurry!" she said. It was too dark to see her face clearly, but I could hear the fear in her voice. "He will find us!"

It was night time. A million stars blazed above. We were running through tall grass, and the scent of a thousand different flowers made the air intoxicating. It was a beautiful garden, and yet the girl was leading me through it, as if we were about to die.

"I'm not afraid, " I tried to tell her.

"You should be!" she said, pulling me along. She had long dark hair braided down her back. Her silk robes glowed faintly in the starlight.

We raced up the side of the hill. She pulled me behind a thorn bush and we collapsed, both breathing heavily. I didn't know why the girl was scared. The garden seemed so peaceful. And I felt strong. Stronger than I'd ever felt before.

"There is no need to run, " I told her. My voice sounded deeper, much more confident. "I have bested a thousand monsters with my bare hands. "

"Not this one, " the girl said. "Ladon is too strong. You must go around, up the mountain to my father. It is the only way. "

The hurt in her voice surprised me. She was really concerned, almost like she cared about me.

"I don't trust your father, " I said.

"You should not," the girl agreed. "You will have to trick him. But you cannot take the prize directly. You will die. '"

I 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. " I stood up, rubbing my hands together.

"Wait. '" the girl said.

She 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. "

The girl breathed on the pin and it glowed faintly. It gleamed in the starlight like polished abalone.

"Take it, " she told me. "And make of it a weapon. "

I 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 girl's voice softened my heart. I reached down and took the hairpin, and as I did, it grew longer and heavier in my hand, until I held a familiar bronze sword.

"Well balanced, " I said. "Though I usually prefer to use my bare hands. What shall I name this blade?"

"Anaklusmos, " the girl said sadly. "The current that takes one by surprise. And before you know it, you have been swept out to sea. "

Before I could thank her, there was a trampling sound in the grass, a hiss like air escaping a tire, and the girl said, "Too late! He is here!"

The dream shifted, as I was standing near a shop and a bank. A 9 year old me held hands with the same girl, from before. She looked different because of the crutches. We were licking our lollipops, holding twin seals. My mom was in the shop, buying something. Suddenly there were gun shots, as a person held a bag of money and a gun.

People screamed, as the two little versions of us, looked confused. My mom widened her eyes and tried to get us, but the people inside held her. The robber looked at us, as he grabbed me. I kicked and screamed, as the girl jumped attacking the robber.

"Demigods!" he screeched. The robber released me, as I heard a growl. I realized that the robber wasn't human. But the 9 year old me, didn't.

He howled, as the 9 year old girl was choking his neck. He shook her off, as she fell onto the floor. He pointed the gun at her, but the 9 year old me knocked him over. His fell over, as I grabbed the girl. Suddenly, we heard a click, as the robber pointed the gun at my head. I widened my eyes, as the girl stepped in front of me, the gun going off…

I sat bolt upright in the Ferrari shotgun seat. Grover was shaking my arm.

"Percy," he said. "It's morning. The train stopped. Come on!"

I tried to shake off my drowsiness. Thalia, Zoe, Audrey, and Bianca had already rolled up the metal curtains. Outside were snowy mountains dotted with pine trees, the sun rising red between two peaks. I fished my pen out of my pocket and stared at it. Anaklusmos, the Ancient Greek name for Riptide. A different form, but I was sure it was the same blade I'd seen in my dream.

And I was sure of something else, too. The girl I had seen was Zoe Nightshade.