I calculated our chances of beating the army to camp. The chance was beyond slim and either way, it would be tight.

"We can't beat them there, but we can come in a close second. We have to leave now, and I think I know how we can get there, or at least how to get us close. I'll get us a ride, you guys try to use the phones to get a hold of somebody at camp. Bob, go to the armory and gather anything that's left. Damasen, food and medical supplies from the pavilion supply room. See if there's anything you can use for Charlie's shoulder. Everybody meet up out front in twenty minutes," I ordered.

The group nodded and ran off to fulfil their according rolls. I took Charlie's hand and pulled him towards the dorms.

"What are we doing?" he asked.

"First, we're getting new clothes. Then, we're going to borrow a helicopter."

I thought of the little vacation home my parents had on the outskirts of New Rome. There'd be plenty of spare clothes there but we didn't have time to go to the other side of the city.

Charlie's eyebrows furrowed as we rummaged through t-shirts for something that would fit.

"I'm not going to ask how we're going to do that. Do you know how to fly a helicopter?"

I shrugged. "A bit. Rachel Dare gave me lessons when I was younger."

"Who?"

"An old friend of dad's. She can tell the future."

She couldn't foretell yours because you don't have one

"Of course she can. Here, this one outta fit you," Charlie said, tossing me a t-shirt. It was an old black skull shirt. I assumed we'd managed our way into Nico's drawer. I found it slightly depressing that I fit into Nico's old clothes.

I found Charlie a Camp Jupiter shirt that must have come from the Mars bunker. It was a bit too big for him but it didn't rub against any of his wounds so he didn't mind.

After we got new clothes, which was surprisingly more comfortable than I expected it to be, we left the camp. It had been a long time since I'd been in the city. I spent most of my time in California in Camp Jupiter, spare the trips to the beach to surf with Aunt Piper and Katrina.

We got into the city and I found myself taken back. There were so many sounds and smells and so, so many people. It was more than a bit overwhelming. If I didn't have a mission to complete I would have sat down and curled into a ball. I couldn't speak. Charlie pulled me onwards.

Without him you would be hiding in an alley behind a dumpster.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"Dare Industries."

I turned right at the Starbucks, resisting the temptation to go inside and steal the largest coffee I could find. It had been over nine months since I'd had caffeine, which was almost more depressing than being in Hell for that long.

Just when I thought we were completely lost, I ran into the building I was looking for. Literally. It had glass doors and I hadn't expected it. Don't judge. It was a very clean window. I hadn't seen glass since we scrambled along the shores of the River of Lamenation.

"Uh, Jase? Are you ok?"

I groaned and held my bruised nose. I had been stabbed, hit, had my limbs torn off, whipped, and literally killed, but hitting my nose still really hurt like a bitch.

"I'm fine, let's go." We walked inside the building, thoroughly scaring the shit out of the receptionist.

"Um, excuse me?!" he stood up and held his phone in front of him like a weapon.

"Hi, I need a helicopter," I said. Charlie facepalmed.

"I'm sorry—?" the man stuttered.

"I have a very large knife in my pocket. Do I look like I'm joking?" I said.

Threatening mortals. That's a new low, even for you.

"Do, do you need help?" The receptionist eyed my pocket.

"Do I look like I need help?" I reached over the counter and grabbed the keys to the helicopter that I knew was parked on the roof and headed to the elevators.

"Sorry for the scare but I'm on a very tight schedule! Thanks!" I called over my shoulder. "Rachel will clear everything up! It's an emergency!"

"What was that?" Charlie screeched once I pushed the button to the top floor.

"We needed a helicopter and I don't have time to be nice."

Charlie shrugged and decided it really wasn't that weird compared to what we'd seen.

On the roof was a helicopter with the words Dare Industries painted on the side. I took the driver's seat and handed Charlie a pair of noise canceling headphones.

"I really hope you know what you're doing, Jack. I did not survive all that we did just to die on this helicopter. I don't think I've ever even seen a helicopter up close before."

I rolled my eyes before figuring out the controls. It had been years since I'd last flown a helicopter but I chose not to mention this to Charlie. This was one of those big helicopters that could probably hold all the olympians and still have room for Mrs. O'Leary in the back; nothing like the two-seater I'd practiced with.

"I'm going to fly us back to Camp Jupiter. Get your sword ready because we've gone too long without a fight and I'm suspicious," I yelled over the whirling sound of helicopter blades.

Charlie nodded and grabbed his armrests nervously. He'd never told me he was a nervous flyer. I chose to also keep from him that my big Uncle Z might just blast us out of the sky if he saw us in his territory. At least if Zeus killed us the gods would know we're alive. This made me wonder if the gods had seen us at all yet since communication was down. I doubted they could see us while we were in the pit, but if Posiedon saw me back in the mortal realm he would have made contact by now, right? I made a mental note to try to pray to my grandfather when we landed.

You'll never make it back to Camp at this rate.

Picking up the controls was not as easy as I thought it would be. It didn't help that I only had one arm. Charlie was cursing so loudly that I could hear him through my noise canceling headphones. As soon as we got into the air, we nearly did a nose dive into The San Francisco Bagel Shop. Most of the ride was like that.

We got a few blocks before Charlie suddenly shoved me over and took over the controls.

"Do you know how to drive?" I asked.

He didn't answer, which I hoped was just because he couldn't hear me. For some reason, it didn't worry me that Charlie had never been in a helicopter before today. He could figure this out. I let him take my seat and moved to the back.

I had to point out which direction to go but it was a pretty smooth ride. We landed in the center of the pavillian. As we landed, I saw a few people sticking their heads out of their doors in the village. I hadn't even realized there were people there. Grover hadn't sounded the alarm so they probably assumed everything was ok. I had friends in that village. I wanted to run down and say hello; tell them everything that had happened since I'd seen them last. I had cousins there, family. But we still had a war to fight. I couldn't afford to lose any time.

There will always be another war to fight.

"Where'd you get a helicopter?" Luke asked.

"Does Rachel know about this?" Grover added.

I smiled, offering a mocking shrug. "If she knew, she'd be here. I'm sure that her dad's receptionist will call and say two dirty beaten up teenagers came and stole it. Maybe that will get enough of a message to get Rachel to warn Camp if she's in New York."

Luke looked uncomfortable at the mention of Rachel. I wondered how weird it would be to come back to all of this after 40 years, especially since he still looked like he was 20. He didn't seem that nervous when we got to California, but that might just be because it was Luke and he didn't want to freak Charlie and I out.

I was mesmerized (not even in a good way) by being back in the real world, and I hadn't even been gone a year. But Luke had been gone for forty years. Everything had changed. I hoped Camp would accept him back. If not, I would defend him until they did.

"You got all the supplies?" Charlie asked. Bob gave us a thumbs up and Luke smiled, holding up a duffel bag.

"Yep. How about you two; run into any trouble?" Luke had a hint of worry in his voice.

"Just a glass door," Charlie muttered.

I elbowed him silent. "Nothing!" I quipped.

Luke laughed heartily and patted my shoulder. He threw the bag into the helicopter and got in, awkwardly helping Grover in after him.

"Bob and I will go by foot," Damasen said.

"What? No!" Charlie quickly cried.

Damasen sighed. "We spoke about this. We can get to Camp Half Blood at the same time as you, if not quicker. Having us beside you will only slow you down. I am sure this flying device was not made for titans or giants," Damasen said. Bob grunted in agreement, poking the helicopter as if to demonstrate.

I didn't want to split up again. Last time we'd left Bob and Damasen to their own devices we'd gotten attacked by the Arai and I got cursed.

You will lose them.

"We will be fine. Do you want to save your home or not?"

I frowned. "That was rude. Using my goals against me."

Damasen smiled and set a hand on my shoulder, much like last time we'd spoken before he left. "We will see each other again."

"We can."

"And we can save your family, your home."

"We can."

You won't.