"So you killed Echidna and the Chimera," Annabeth said. I explained to her about what happened on the observation deck. "Yes, and Percy jumped through the hole that we made."

"You guys torched a national monument," Grover said. "Police have another reason to go looking for you now."

"It was actually the Chimera, and I thought that the police couldn't find us." Annabeth pointed to where there was a crowd. There were many emergency vehicles and news vans.

"Channel Five has learned that surveillance cameras show two adolescent boys going wild on the observation deck, somehow setting off this freak explosion."

"Everyone okay?" I heard Percy asked. I turned, and there he was.

"How was your jump?" I asked. Percy gave a thumbs up.

"You killed Echidna and her Chihuahua?"

"Yeah," I said. "Anything happen to you when you were in the water?"

He told us about the female water spirit who told him to go to Santa Monica.

Grover was about to reply, but a cop said, "Gangway!" and paramedics bustled out, rolling a woman onto the stretcher. It was the mother of the little boy. She was saying, "And this huge dog, this huge fire-breathing Chihuahua-"

"Okay ma'am," a paramedic said, "Just calm down. Your family is fine. The medication is starting to kick in." I suppressed a smile.

"I'm not crazy! One boy jumped through the hole and the other one killed the Chihuahua." She saw me and Percy. "There they are. Those are the boys!"

We all disappeared into the crowd before she could continue.

Grover said, "We've got to go to Santa Monica. You can't ignore a summons from your dad." We passed another reporter, but she made us stop.

"Percy Jackson and Cam Battle. That's right, Dan. Channel Twelve has learned about the boys who may have caused this explosion fits the descriptions of two young men wanted by authorities for a serious New Jersey bus accident three days ago. The boys are believed to be traveling west with two accomplices. For our viewers at home, here are pictures of Percy Jackson and Cam Battle."

"Damn," I said, "they got our photos. It's gonna be hard traveling in the day." We moved to an alley.

"Let's get to the station," Percy said. We made it to the train before it pulled out of the station. Lights illuminated the St. Louis skyline as I looked at the Arch.