Sorry if this chapter and probably the next one seem a little bland, I'm leading up to something, but I've been trying to jazz them up a bit for you're guys' sakes.
Anyways, thank you guys for all the reviews, favs, subs, ext. Here's chapter 25 (oh gods are we ever far haha) enjoy!
I'm crazy, I found myself thinking as I lingered just outside the Air and Space Museum, I'm completely and totally crazy. Why on earth did I let him go? I knew that I had done wrong, but part of me also knew that my simple act of mercy would benefit me, someway, somehow, somewhere.
"Excuse me miss." I looked up to see a tall man in some sort of police uniform leering over me with a disapproving expression on his face. "Can you read?"
It was an odd question for someone to ask, so instinctively my hand went to my sword in case he was a monster of sort. I winced as I accidentally moved my injured arm. "Actually no," I replied hesitantly.
"Oh," he seemed taken aback, his deep brown eyes kept glancing wearily towards my shoulder, noting the spot of blood soaking through the jacket that I had thrown on to hide the wound until I could bandage it. "So you can't tell that this sign say 'No Loitering'?" He pointed a meaty finger at a yellow sign to my right. In black lettering it seemed to read something like 'oN tiLorng,' but I decided to take the man's word on this.
"Sorry," I mumbled rising from my place against the brick wall, "Dyslexia." As I walked farther down the street to the other side of the building I felt his cold gaze on my back. Once I reached the far side and I knew that he had finally turned away I snuck down the alleyway opposite to where Percy and I had fought. Slumping down so that I had a clear view of the Museum's exit I began to wait again.
As soon as I hit the ground I threw off the jacket to view the damage on my shoulder. The sight was so gruesome I was forced to scrunch up my face to avoid vomiting or crying out in horror. The skin had pealed off in a thick, ragged layer, and was held on by a mere thread of skin the deepest shade of oily red. And the smell; the pungent smell of fresh blood mixed with city pollution. Turning away I greedily took a breath of air before ripping out a cloth from a small satchel I had grabbed before leaving Luke and Atlas, and wrapped it tightly around my shoulder. The pressure was excruciating on the wound, but it was the best I could do for now to ensure that I didn't loose any more blood.
Gasping, I laid back against the wall and waited. One minute. Ten minutes. I nearly dosed off a few times from exhaustion before I saw Percy fleeing the museum, his arm hanging loosely in a temporary sling and a sort of coat wrapped in his other. Beside him trotted Grover, the satyr, decked out in sneakers and blue jeans, an old cap hiding the horns that resided atop his curly head of hair. Behind them ran three girls; one was by no doubt Zoe Nightshade, my old enemy, her hair braided back and a silver circlet atop her head. Beside her ran another girl in a Hunter's uniform with olive skin and dark hair also braided, I recognized her from Thorn's memory, Bianca, daughter of Hades. The other girl I also acknowledged from Thorn's memory, her gothic appearance and electric blue eyes. She could only be one person; Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus.
I quickly slunk back deeper into the alley to make sure the group did not see me. I held by breath as they came only a few feet from my hiding place but within seconds they were gone.
Sighing, I rustled to the corner of the building and watched as the group hustled into a white van and sped off.
Great, I thought, How am I suppose to keep up with them now? I could've gone back to Atlas and Luke, made up some sob story as to why I didn't kill Percy, but I couldn't. I would be exiled, or Atlas would finally give up on my use to him and kill me. For some reason he did not want to risk Luke, but I was not as high in his books it seemed.
So I did they only thing I could on a busy New York street, I hailed a taxi.
"Where to?" The driver asked me, glancing back in his rear-view mirror.
"You see that white van?" I asked, because I couldn't think of anything else to do.
He nodded.
"Follow it."
His eyes screwed up in a confused expression, and then they narrowed in on my shoulder wound, which I had forgotten to cover up.
"Miss, I'm sorry, but I'm gonna` have to ask you to–" But he didn't finish his sentence, for in a split second I drew out my blade and thrust the handle roughly against his scalp, knocking him unconscious, possibly even killing him, I didn't bother to check.
As quickly as I could, I hauled him into the back seat and made it look as if he was a mere passenger sleeping, and took the wheel.
I had never actually driven a car before, but awhile-back one of my foster parents attempted to teach me the basics of how to work it, but it seemed that I was a natural. It was like I had done it before, in another life.
I quickly sped off the curb and into ongoing traffic, attempting to catch up with the van.
Once I placed myself about two cars behind the van it was easy to remain hidden but still keep track of Percy and co.
As I continued along in the heavy waves of traffic the driver showed no sign that he would awake anytime soon, but that wasn't what I was worried about. I was exhausted from the day's events and hadn't slept for a few nights already. I needed to rest, but I needed to stay alert to follow my prey.
It was after we passed the Potomac that I saw a disturbance wave over the van. Thalia was pointing out the window at something in the sky and the van quickly swerved around the next corner. As I struggled to maintain a lead on them I noticed that what they were pointing at was a helicopter. It must have been one of Atlas' recruitments of mortals. He thought they were the greatest new toys to play with, I thought he was despicable. If there was one thing I never liked, it was mortals.
The next thing I knew the gang was filing out of the car and buying tickets for the subway. I had never been on a train before, but I figured there's a first time for everything.
Being sure to evade their notice I paid for a ticket and found a seat in the car behind theirs. For a moment I was ready to fall asleep right there, but the feeling of being watched consumed me. I felt the murderous eyes of numerous mortals aboard the train fixed on me and my rugged appearance. I first ignored them, but when it was beginning to drive me to the brink of insanity I shot them each a furious look and they averted their gaze.
At the next stop I spotted the group switching trains, and I carefully followed suit, relieved to change my surroundings. We changed trains twice more in the next half-hour as they appeared to be avoiding being hunted, but they were deceived, for I kept a close watch on their progress.
It was growing late, and the train finally came to a complete stop. We had reached the end of the tracks. The railway leading west merely supported freight trains, none suitable for human travel.
As the group slowly huddled around a homeless man's burning trashcan I hid behind a rather large train and wrapped my coat tightly around myself in vain attempt to keep warm. The sun had long past set and the night seemed to be getting colder and colder. But for once I was glad of my Canadian raising. The winters in northern Ontario could get so cold that they would freeze up the heater and the whole town would be forced to gather together in the Community centre to keep warm.
But that did not make me immune to this chill. It had been years since I spent a winter up there. I had grown accustom to the warmer climate of New York, and that was one thing that made me weak.
Just as I began to loose the feeling in my toes and ears the lights on the train I had been hiding behind lit up, illuminating the snow-covered tracks. I realized that its cargo was a various assortment of vehicles.
Once I was sure that the crew had filed into the cars on the front of the train I silently slid aboard the train and into the soft interior of a Volkswagen.
The moment I closed my eyes I ventured into a horrible dreamland. I was at the base of Mount Tam in San Francisco standing amidst a large group of the Titan army. On every side of me were the devious eyes of demigods, dracaena, hellhounds, mortals, and more, glaring at me. It seemed that all the commotion was faced towards a focal point at the edge of the cliff. I tried to push through the crowd to discover the cause of it all, but no matter how much effort I put into the task I couldn't get any further.
Eventually, out of pure frustration I drew the menacing blade of Bluefire and sliced my way through the crowd, throwing aside the disemboweled body parts of my victims as I made my way to the base of the mountain. Soon I found myself with one last figure ahead of me, Atlas.
"Go on girly," he dared me, "Take a look."
He moved aside with a contending look on his face. I forced myself past him and fell to my knees at the sight.
I half-blood laid on the rocky ground, his limbs bent in awkward ways and his face red with blood. His back was bent around the rocks in an unnatural form. He looked so broken, so helpless. I wanted to touch him, to help him in someway, but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't place a hand on him. I couldn't help my Luke.
In a flash the mountain was gone and I was in a grand room of a sort of castle. The walls were inlaid with gold tiles and the floor was a gleaming type of wood. In the far end of the room sat a familiar gold sarcophagus; my father's.
Each step I took toward the coffin echoed through the great hall with resounding pitches. A sense of fright weighted over me as I stopped merely a foot away, I had the urge to reach out and open the casket to view the ruminants of the Titan Lord, the body that at one time had conceived me.
My hands shook as I drew them from my side and placed them on the intricately crafted lid. Taking a deep breath I heaved on the lid and forced it off the case. It clattered to the floor in a great heap. Quickly I spun around to make sure I had no intruders as I viewed the coffin's contents, I was alone.
I turned back to the sarcophagus only to find it empty. The gold reflected the dim light blindingly into my eyes.
Shrugging, I made to move the lid back onto its container when I felt a large hand rest weightily on my shoulder. I spun around promptly ready to slice my assailant through, only to find Luke standing in front of me. His face was stern and the star shone a deep red, but then I focused in on his eyes, his gorgeous blue eyes…they were gold.
"NOOOOOO!" I shouted as I jerked into consciousness, only to clamp my hand over my mouth, to prevent any further noise from exiting it.
I couldn't have been asleep long, for the sun was nowhere near to rising, but I didn't dare go back to sleep in fear of what awaited me behind closed eyes.
R&R please, the quicker you review the quicker I'll update ;)