CH. 3
Annabeth
We all leaned forward as Javier began to talk."I'm not going to tell you about myself. That will just waste time, and time is one thing I need to conserve. So let's say I was working on a case, and it required me to be in Central Park at around midnight. I was working by the streets when I saw the Gray Sisters' Taxi, and it was going unusually slow, only about 85, 90 miles an hour. I followed it as far as White Plains-don't ask how I did it-and they were still headed steadily north, but the Taxi only got up to about 130 miles an hour. Never faster than that."
"Wait, wait-that taxi only went more than 130 mph, minimum?" Jason asked. Percy shook his head. "Dude, 70 miles is, like, 280 for them." Javier nodded. "If that's too fast for you, don't ever try shadow traveling. You go so fast your face just about peels off." Jason looked queasy, like he had just gone on the world's third loopiest roller coaster. Serves him right for what he said about my dad earlier. Jason caught the look on my face and his expression changed from sick to annoyed. He sent me a silent message: I'll get you later. I rolled my eyes. What did I do?
Percy had been watching the little exchange with an amused look on his face, while Calypso was interrogating Javier for more information. Clarisse and Piper were at the front, watching the dragons and Piper's pegasus, Laurie, while ordering drinks. I thought about what Javier had said about the cab going north, and I had a feeling that the kidnapper, whoever it was, wasn't going north for the cold. Hold on. North…cold...that seemed familiar. And not a good familiar. Suddenly, a frightening thought raced through my mind. I glanced up at the front. Piper was apparently thinking the same thing. Her face was ghostly pale, her eyes wide. She said something to Clarisse and Clarisse nodded, taking the watch over the animals, who looked worried.
Piper made her way back to the table, muttering,"I hate to admit it, but I'm missing Leo calling me 'Beauty Queen.'" Percy turned to me, surprised, but Javier just laughed. "I'll have to tell one of my friends to call his wife Beauty Queen from now on." ''Guys, I think I know where Leo is. If he's not there, then he's at least on his way," Piper said. Everyone turned to her, waiting for her to spill the beans. She took a deep breath. "I think he's in Quebec."
Percy
As soon as Piper said Quebec Jason turned white. ''Not Quebec. Anywhere but Quebec.'' ''Why?'' I asked. ''What's in Quebec?'' Piper was pale too, and turned paler as she answered,''Khione, the snow goddess. On our first quest, we stopped in Quebec to talk to Boreas, god of the North Wind. Khione is his daughter. When Jason and I were talking to Boreas, Khione and Leo were left alone. She sensed fire within him and tried to kill us later. That's why Festus crashed and Leo had to send his head back. She was also the reason he met Calypso. Remember, she threw him off the Argo ll and he crash landed on Ogygia?''
Calypso flinched. ''Don't talk about that place.'' ''Right, sorry. Anyway, she tried to kill us about ten times while we were freeing Hera. He stopped her every time, and she resorted to begging. She tried to get him to come back to Quebec with her, but he laughed and mocked her. She promised revenge on him.'' Calypso winced and shook her head. ''So I owe my freedom to an evil, crazy goddess who worked worth Gaea?'' Piper replied,''Not a good way to put it, but technically, yes, you owe your freedom to an evil, crazy goddess, who probably kidnapped one of our best friends.'' Calypso groaned. ''So now I suppose we go to Quebec?''
Javier had been silent the whole time. Now he spoke up. ''Hey guys, I gotta go. Percy, come on up to the front with me. Escort me out.'' He winked at me and rose. We walked outside and Clarisse glared at us. Typical. Javier stroked Festus.''Nice dragon. Leo's work?'' I nodded. "Well, I'd better get going. I'll see you around sometime?" I nodded again, and he turned toward the wall, where some of the morning shadows still lingered. He swiveled back toward me. "Say hi to Nico for me." He walked straight toward the wall, into the shadows, and disappeared. I blinked. He knew shadow travel? And Nico? I shrugged it off and walked back inside, leaving Clarisse staring in disbelief at the spot on the wall where Javier had gone.
I headed to the back of the restaurant, where everyone was arguing. I sighed and turned to Annabeth. "Transportation," she answered immediately."The dragons are coming, obviously, but we need something to guard the camp. I won't name names, but some of them want to travel by chariot. Some want to go in the Gray Sister's Taxi, to get information, and the rest want pegasus." "We need to pick up Nico, too. And I say shadow travel," I said. "Ditto. It's faster and stealthier," she replied.
I saw the family at the next table over staring at us. I guess we looked pretty strange: a group of teens ages 15-17, arguing about things the mortals were sure were myths, and I think I'd be pretty freaked out if I were a mortal and saw a miniature thunderstorm hovering above the kids. I was getting agitated, and a mini hurricane started swirling around us. The mortals in the restaurant were probably flipping out. I sighed and turned back to the table. How could we rescue Leo if we couldn't even decide how to get to him?