Disclaimer: I don't own the right to Percy Jackson and the Olympians, only my OC, sadly enough. I'd be very rich tho.

Chapter 7: The Exodus Part I

Mrs. O'Leary, the massive hellhound, seemed to be the only one enjoying the peculiar silence that had befallen the city. As Percy and his companions surveyed the sleeping streets, they stumbled upon the sight of Mrs. O'Leary feasting on hot dogs from an overturned stand, while the vendor lay curled up nearby, lost in slumber.

Argus, the hundred-eyed guardian, awaited their arrival with a mix of alertness and unease. Without uttering a word, his eyes conveyed his concerns. Percy took a deep breath and relayed the information they had learned in Olympus – the gods would not be coming to their aid. Argus's eyes rolled in a swirl of disgust, a psychedelic display that mirrored his frustration.

"You should return to camp," Percy advised Argus, his voice tinged with urgency. "Guard it to the best of your ability."

Argus pointed at Percy and raised an eyebrow inquisitively, seeking confirmation.

"I'm staying," Percy declared firmly, his resolve shining through.

Argus nodded, seemingly satisfied with Percy's response. He turned his attention to Annabeth and drew a circle in the air with his finger, silently communicating his thoughts.

"Yes," Annabeth agreed, her voice carrying a note of determination. "I think it's time."

Percy's curiosity piqued as he interjected, "Time for what?"

With a purposeful rummage in the back of his van, Argus produced a bronze shield, passing it to Annabeth. At first glance, it appeared to be a standard round shield, similar to the ones they used in capture the flag. However, as Annabeth placed it on the ground, the polished metal transformed, reflecting the image of the Statue of Liberty, a symbol far removed from their current location.

"Whoa," Percy exclaimed, his astonishment evident. "A video shield?"

Annabeth explained, "It's one of Daedalus's inventions. Beckendorf created it before..." She paused, glancing at Silena, and continued, "Anyway, this shield bends sunlight or moonlight from anywhere in the world, allowing us to see any target as long as natural light touches it. Watch."

The group gathered around, their eyes fixed on the shield as Annabeth concentrated. At first, the image zoomed and spun, causing Percy to feel a touch of motion sickness. They soared over Central Park Zoo, then raced down East 60th Street, past famous landmarks, until they turned onto Third Avenue.

"Whoa," Connor Stoll exclaimed, his excitement contagious. "Back up. Zoom in right there."

Anxious, Annabeth questioned, "What? Do you see invaders?"

Connor's grin widened as he replied, "No, right there—Dylan's Candy Bar. It's open, and everyone is asleep. You thinking what I'm thinking?"

Katie Gardner scolded her brother, adopting a motherly tone reminiscent of Demeter. "Connor, this is serious! You're not going to loot a candy store in the middle of a war!"

Connor muttered an apology, but it lacked genuine remorse. Annabeth moved her hand across the shield, and another scene materialized – FDR Drive, with a view across the river at Lighthouse Park.

"This will give us a view of what's happening across the city," Annabeth explained. She turned to Argus, gratitude in her voice. "Thank you, Argus. Hopefully, we'll see you back at camp... someday."

Argus grunted, his expression communicating his belief that they would need all the luck they could get. He climbed into his van, accompanied by the two harpy drivers, skillfully maneuvering around the abandoned cars littering the road.

Percy let out a whistle, summoning Mrs. O'Leary to his side. The massive hellhound bounded over, her tail wagging with excitement.

"Hey, girl," Percy greeted her. "You remember Grover, the satyr we met in the park?"

"WOOF!" Mrs. O'Leary responded, her tail wagging more vigorously.

Percy hoped it meant she understood his request and not that she was hoping for more hot dogs.

"I need you to find him," Percy instructed, his voice firm. "Make sure he's still awake. We're going to need his help. Got it? Find Grover!"

Mrs. O'Leary responded with an enthusiastic, sloppy kiss, which Percy found both unnecessary and endearing. With a burst of speed, she darted off towards the north.

Pollux crouched beside a sleeping policeman, confusion etched on his face. "Why didn't we fall asleep too? Why just the mortals?"

Silena, her knowledge surprising Percy, chimed in. "The spell is massive, and the bigger the spell, the easier it is to resist. Putting millions of mortals to sleep requires a thin layer of magic. Sleeping demigods, on the other hand, are much harder to affect."

Percy regarded her with a mix of surprise and curiosity. "When did you learn so much about magic?"

A blush tinged Silena's cheeks. "I don't spend all my time on my wardrobe," she replied, a hint of defensiveness in her voice.

"Percy," Annabeth called, her voice tinged with urgency as she stared at the shield's image. "You'd better see this."

Percy's eyes locked onto the bronze image, which displayed the dark waters of Long Island Sound near La Guardia. A fleet of speedboats sliced through the waves, filled with demigods clad in Greek armor. The purple banner with a black scythe fluttering on the lead boat revealed their allegiance to Kronos, the enemy they would soon face.

"Scan the perimeter of the island," Percy commanded, a sense of urgency gripping him. "Quick."

Annabeth swiftly shifted the scene, revealing a Staten Island Ferry cutting through the waves near Ellis Island. The deck teemed with dracaenae and a horde of menacing hellhounds. Swimming ahead of the ship were telkhines, their doglike faces and swords marking them as sea demons.

The image shifted again, this time to the entrance of the Lincoln Tunnel on the Jersey shore. A motley crew of monsters paraded past the halted traffic, giants wielding clubs, rogue Cyclopes, fire-spitting dragons, and even a World War II-era Sherman tank, shoving cars aside as it barged into the tunnel.

"What's happening with the mortals outside Manhattan?" Percy inquired, concern etched on his face. "Is the whole state asleep?"

Annabeth furrowed her brow, frustration lacing her voice. "I don't think so, but it's strange. According to these pictures, Manhattan is completely asleep. There's a fifty-mile radius around the island where time is crawling. The closer you get to Manhattan, the slower it becomes."

She presented another scene, depicting a New Jersey highway. The traffic moved at a snail's pace, the drivers seemingly awake but their cars barely inching forward. Birds soared overhead, their flight reduced to sluggish motion.

"It's Kronos," Percy affirmed, realization dawning upon him. "He's slowing time."

Katie Gardner chimed in, her voice filled with concern. "Hecate might be helping. See how the cars are veering away from Manhattan exits? It's like they're receiving a subconscious message to turn back."

Annabeth's frustration simmered, her desire for knowledge unfulfilled. "I don't know for certain, but they've ensnared Manhattan with layers of magic. The outside world might not even realize that something is amiss. Any mortals approaching Manhattan will slow down so much that they won't comprehend what's happening."

"Like flies trapped in amber," Jake Mason murmured, his voice laden with unease.

Annabeth nodded, a resolute expression settling on her features. "We can't rely on outside help."

Percy turned to his friends, witnessing their shock and fear mirrored in their eyes. The shield had revealed the sheer magnitude of their enemy's forces, outnumbering them three hundred to forty. They stood alone in the face of impending peril.

"Alright," Percy declared, his voice determined. "We're going to hold Manhattan."

Silena tugged at her armor, voicing her concerns. "Um, Percy, Manhattan is massive."

"We will hold it," Percy affirmed, his determination unwavering. "We have to."

"He's right," Annabeth added, her voice echoing with conviction. "The gods of the wind should keep Kronos's forces away from Olympus by air, so he'll attempt a ground assault. We must block the entrances to the island."

Michael Yew interjected, his voice skeptical. "But they have boats."

A surge of electricity coursed through Percy, Athena's words now clear in his mind: Remember the rivers.

"I'll handle the boats," Percy said confidently, a plan forming in his mind. "Trust me. We need to guard the bridges and tunnels. Let's assume they'll attempt a midtown or downtown assault, at least initially. That would be their most direct route to the Empire State Building. Michael, take Apollo's cabin and secure the Williamsburg Bridge. Katie, Demeter's cabin will guard the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel. Use thorn bushes and poison ivy, do whatever it takes to keep them out. Conner, take half of Hermes' cabin and cover the Manhattan Bridge. Travis, you take the other half and secure the Brooklyn Bridge. And no detours for looting or pillaging!"

"Awwww!" came the collective complaint from the Hermes cabin, their disappointment evident. Clarisse looked around, irritated. "Where's Percy? What's the plan?"

Silena, with a mischievous smile, stepped forward. "Take the Aphrodite crew to the Queens-Midtown Tunnel," she suggested, her voice dripping with enthusiasm.

Excited murmurs erupted among her sisters. One of them chimed in, "Oh my gods, Fifth Avenue is so on our way! We could accessorize, and monsters, like, totally hate the smell of Givenchy."

Percy nodded, considering the idea. "No delays," he emphasized, trying to keep things focused. "Well... the perfume thing, if you think it'll work."

The Aphrodite girls couldn't contain their excitement, and six of them planted kisses on Percy's cheek, their enthusiasm contagious.

Percy's mind raced, trying to recall any overlooked details. "All right, enough!" he finally said, closing his eyes in concentration. "The Holland Tunnel. Jake, take the Hephaestus cabin there. Use Greek fire, set traps. Whatever you've got."

Jake's face lit up with determination. "Gladly. We've got a score to settle. For Beckendorf!" The entire Hephaestus cabin erupted in a roar of approval, their determination unyielding.

Percy continued, his voice steady. "The 59th Street Bridge... Clarisse—"

His voice faltered as he realized Clarisse wasn't present. The Ares cabin, typical of them, remained back at camp. Annabeth stepped forward, sensing the silence. "We'll take that," she interjected, rescuing Percy from an awkward moment. Turning to her siblings, she instructed, "Malcolm, take the Athena cabin, activate plan twenty-three along the way, just like I showed you. Hold that position."

Malcolm nodded, a sense of responsibility shining in his eyes. "You got it."

"I'll go with Percy," Annabeth added, her voice resolute. "Then we'll join you, or we'll go wherever we're needed."

From the back of the group, someone couldn't resist making a teasing remark. "No detours, you two." Laughter filled the air, but Percy decided to let it slide.

"Alright," he declared, his mind racing with possibilities. "Keep in touch with cell phones."

Silena protested, "We don't have cell phones."

Without hesitation, Percy grabbed a snoring lady's BlackBerry from the ground and tossed it to Silena. "You do now. You all know Annabeth's number, right? If you need us, pick up a random phone and call us. Use it once, drop it, then borrow another one if you have to. That should make it harder for the monsters to zero in on you."

Grins spread across the faces of the demigods, appreciating the ingenious solution. Travis couldn't resist chiming in, "Uh, if we find a really nice phone—"

"No, you can't keep it," Percy cut him off firmly.

Disappointed groans filled the air, but Jake Mason's voice brought attention to a forgotten detail. "Hold it, Percy. You forgot the Lincoln Tunnel."

Cursing internally, Percy realized his mistake. A Sherman tank and a horde of monsters were currently marching through that very tunnel, left unguarded in his strategic planning.

But then, salvation arrived in the form of a girl's voice from across the street. "How about you leave that to us?"

Percy's heart soared as he turned towards the source of the voice. A band of thirty adolescent girls, armed to the teeth and radiating confidence, crossed Fifth Avenue. Their attire, a mix of white shirts, silvery camouflage pants, and combat boots, showcased their readiness for battle. Wolves and hunting falcons accompanied them, amplifying their formidable presence.

In the lead, with spiky black hair and a black leather jacket, stood Thalia, the daughter of Zeus. Her silver circlet shone like a tiara, contrasting with her skull earrings and her Death to Barbie T-shirt, depicting a Barbie doll with an arrow through its head.

"Thalia!" Annabeth exclaimed, unable to contain her excitement.

A mischievous grin adorned Thalia's face. "The Hunters of Artemis, reporting for duty," she declared, her tone leaving no doubt about their commitment to the cause.

There was a mix of hugs and greetings as Thalia arrived, her presence bringing a sense of camaraderie. Though the other Hunters maintained their distance, their reluctance to be near campers, especially boys, was a silent acknowledgment of acceptance.

Curiosity tugged at Percy, and he couldn't help but ask, "Where have you been the last year? You've got like twice as many Hunters now!"

Thalia laughed, her eyes dancing with mischief. "Long, long story. I bet my adventures were more dangerous than yours, Jackson."

Percy playfully scoffed, shaking his head. "Complete lie."

A challenge ignited in Thalia's gaze as she promised, "We'll see. After this is over, you, Annabeth, and me: cheeseburgers and fries at that hotel on West 57th."

"Le Parker Meridien," Percy quickly chimed in. "You're on. And Thalia, thanks."

With a nonchalant shrug, Thalia's confidence radiated. "Those monsters won't know what hit them. Hunters, move out!"

She smacked her silver bracelet, and in an instant, the shield Aegis materialized in all its glory. The sight of the grotesque Medusa head in the center made the campers take a step back, awestruck and unnerved. Without hesitation, the Hunters dashed down the avenue, their loyal wolves and majestic falcons trailing behind. The Lincoln Tunnel, for now, would remain safe under their watch.

Relief washed over Annabeth as she spoke, her voice filled with determination. "Thank the gods. But if we don't blockade the rivers from those boats, guarding the bridges and tunnels will be pointless."

Percy nodded, acknowledging the gravity of their situation. "You're right."

His gaze swept over the campers, each of them sporting grim expressions, their resolve unwavering. Suppressing the pang of uncertainty, Percy addressed them all, his voice carrying the weight of their shared destiny. "You're the greatest heroes of this millennium," he declared, his words charged with conviction. "It doesn't matter how many monsters come at you. Fight bravely, and we will win."

Raising his sword, Riptide, high into the air, Percy's voice thundered through the streets. "FOR OLYMPUS!"

A resounding chorus erupted from their group, their voices echoing off the towering buildings of Midtown. In that fleeting moment, it felt brave and powerful, but the sound soon dissipated, swallowed by the silence of ten million slumbering New Yorkers.