Chapter Three
We Hear the Singing of Doom
The following day, Argus drove me, Leo, Annabeth, Will, and Nico into town. Argus dropped us off at 34th Penn Station, then sped away.
"Well? What's the plan?" I asked dumbly.
"Jump into the train tracks." Leo said
"Are you crazy? You want to kill yourself?"
Everyone looked at Annabeth for ideas, but she just shrugged like I don't know how to do this without killing ourselves!
Then, I remembered something. Today, all the subway lines in Manhattan was under maintenance. I could gamble that they wouldn't see 5 crazy kids jumping into the subway. But I knew better.
"I need a scout. I need to know exactly what's in there." I said.
"Say hello to the iFestus Mini!" Leo exclaimed.
Leo held up a mini robot that looked like a three way cross between a minotaur, a hellhound, and a empousa.
"Leo, how do expect to hide this thing? This is so-" I was interrupted.
"Ugly? Don't worry. This is an automaton, and is protected by the mist." Leo said.
"All yours, repair boy." Will grumbled.
Leo then took out a computer and turned it on.
"Leo, you know the risks, right?"
"I'm not using the internet."
You see, demigods and technology just didn't mix. When we make phone calls, or access the internet, it's like sending a message to the monsters I'm right here! Come and eat me! Last spring, a demigod son of Ares searched up "Hydra" and got a little more than he wanted.
Leo opened a program called "iFestus Control" and a live video was broadcasted on the screen. Leo then took out an Xbox controller and the automaton began to move.
As the iFestus descended into the tunnel, we began to hear a horrible singing noise. Leo probed the robot a little farther into the tunnel. Then, two people appeared on the screen. A brother and a sister. Definitely not workers. They wore matching T shirts that read Lucians Suck! and a gun pointed at a strange symbol that looked like 2 snakes on a sword.
The boy was singing. He sang a horrible parody of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. His singing was sometimes an octave higher or an octave lower. He didn't sing. He screeched. I noticed Will Solance covered his ears.
"Shut that damn sound, Leo!" I said.
Annabeth cursed in Ancient Greek, and that finally made Leo turn down the volume.
"So, we now know what's in there. Just two darn kids singing horrible songs."
"But why? Why did Chiron send us on this quest? He couldn't have just wanted us to scout the subway system!" Annabeth reasoned.
"She's right. Chiron won't bother sending, and Rachel wouldn't have said the prophecy if this was all." I said.
"So let's go. Explore the tunnels." Will said.
"Oh no, don't let this be another Labyrinth!" I croaked.
But everyone ignored me, and we climbed down the stairs to the tunnels.