Thalia POV

I slowly trudged along as I felt Zoe's sympathetic glances. The trip had been both fun yet painful. Surprisingly there were barely any monsters on our trip. Nico and I ourselves should have atleast found ONE monster. I guess they sensed the weapons of 30 various hunters. Once we got back above ground we had to quickly change into normal mortal clothes which we all carried in our enchanted hunting bags. Even though we have sworn against love and boys a lot of Hunters wear skirts and stuff. I mean, hey, we are in maidenhood.

Zoe wore converse, ripped blue jeans, a tight black shirt and her sheild bracelet and circlet. At the moment she was a walking armoury. She had knifes, darts, 2 guns that shot celestial bronze bullets and a sword slung around her waist. And of course the standard Hunter bow and arrow. To the mortals it probably just looked like jewelry or something.

I wore converse, denim shorts, a blue cami, knifes, my Aegis sheild/bracelet, a sword, a gun, and my bow. As we stalked Nico, we had to split up in order to look less suspicious. We walked in pairs of two or three and ducked into random stores to avoid detection. We often lost Nico in the crowded areas because once we got back above ground he also changed into jeans and a t-shirt. Both Nico and I had dropped the goth/punk look sometime after the second Titan War. I have to say he looked much better smiling...FOR A GUY...psh...

It was very...enjoyable seeing the girls' anger and disgust as street hippies whistled and shouted out to them. Zoe and I were quite comfortable around men, we didn't always feel the need to slit their throats so...yah.

What wasn't so enjoyable was watching girls throw themselves at Nico whenever he stopped for more then 2 seconds. Not because I like him or anything...just because it's ummm...disgraceful to see girls act so pathetic.

Zoe and I stopped suddenly at the Caldecott Tunnel. Quickly I flipped around notching an arrow and glanced around looking for any threats. Zoe pulled out her two knives and loosened her sword a little bit. We had both sensed something but couldn't see anything.

"It's the mist!" Zoe shouted to me over the roar of the traffic.

Blinking furiously trying to make out anything strange or horrifying, I slowly began to see them. Monsters. Everywhere. Hiding behind buildings, alleyways, cars, everything. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Zoe's eyes widen in horror. There were at least 20 of them.

Fierce determination ran through me. There was no way in Hades I was going to fail this mission. I was going to get Nico and drag his sorry ass back to camp and not let him leave ever again. And of course find the Roman camp, scout, and report back to camp, blah, blah, blah.

"GO!" I shouted. Quickly both of us sprang and started hacking throught the pack of hellhounds that were closest to us. I lost track of Zoe and started shooting down the empousai heading toward me. A giant to my right lunged missing me, but mangling my bow in the process.

"You're gonna regret that big boy!" I snarled. I whipped out my sword and activated Aegis. The monsters rencoiled in fear and disgust snarling at me. Suddenly the giant that crushed my bow dissolved into dust as Zoe pulled her sword out of his leg. Exhausted she didn't notice the giant behind her as he swung at her with his club. Her limp body went flying into the air and hit the pavement. The monsters turned back to me.

There were still 15 or so monsters and I was alone. The other Hunters were far away and the Roman camp was who knows where, and Percy was gone, and...NO! I refused to think about HIM now. They backed me up against a building. One sudden move and I would die. Summoning all my power I prayed to my father for one lightning bolt...nothing. Groaning in anger and frustration I prayed to any god for some kind of miracle and then...I charged.

I slashed 6 empousai quickly, taking down the minotar (he just has to stick his furry behind in every fight doesnt he!) and a couple hellhounds down with him. All that was left was a hellhound sniffing at Zoe's unconsious form, a giant, a sphinx and... the manticore.

Quickly I killed off the giant using the gun and turned on the sphinx. The manticore stood patiently waiting his turn to kill me. The sphinx swiped at me and my sword flew out of my hand. "What is the capital of Kazikstan?" it screeched.

Raising my gun I tried to shoot it but the sphinx shreiked and raised a claw and swiped at me. Groaning in pain I glanced down where the sphinx had hit me. From under my arm and down my side to my waist were three, deep claw marks. Raising my gun I tried to focus on it and shot the sphinx. The sphinx quickly dissolved into dust as I faced the manticore and the hellhound. The hellhound stiffined and sniffed around in surprise and bounded into the shadows. Facing the manticore I grimaced as he through a spike beside my neck teasing me. I tried shooting only to realize I had run out of bullets. Struggling with my knife I raised it.

"Get lost Thorn, I mean thing" I said in remembering the first time I encountered him.

"No, no. We have been waiting to get back at you Thalia Grace. We followed you little Huntresses out here. Shame, you were so close to finding the other camp. But. You. Failed!" He sneered.

I was outraged. I. Never. Failed. At. Anything...EVER. Screaming in defiance I raised my knife and aimed for his neck. Growling he swung at me throwing me back against the building. He raised my knife. "Any last words, Grace?" To weak to say anything I glared.

"Uhhh, yeah! Goodbye!" said a familiar voice and the manticore burst into ash.

And then I blacked out.

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