Pretty shortly, the group found a railcar carrying luxury cars. Bianca and Zoe snagged a Cadillac SUV while Grover found some sort of Lexus hybrid. Thalia managed to hotwire a Mercedes to pick up alt rock stations. That left Percy with a Ford Mustang, but that was fine by him - he'd always been a bit of a 'working class heroes' guy when it came to cars.

After a while, though, Thalia knocked on his window, evidently bored. "Join you?"

He shrugged, and she swung herself into the seat. "Nice coat," he said. It was - unlike the brown duster it had formed for Bianca, the Nemean Lion's pelt was now a bomber jacket, covered in patches for bands and concerts and cars and movements. It looked good on her. She seemed to agree, but mostly seemed grateful for the warmth. "Pretty cool of Bianca to give up something like that, too."

Thalia nodded. "Yeah, for sure. She's a good kid. The lion wasn't the monster we're looking for though. Not even close." That was true. Something niggled at Percy's mind - something the General had said, back in the museum just before Percy had returned to the group and they'd fought the lion.

"The General said that this monster… apparently it's going to find you in particular, or something. They want you isolated so it can battle you alone, I think. Not sure what that means, but that's what I remember him saying."

Thalia didn't look entirely pleased. "I love being used as bait."

"No clue what the monster might be?"

Thalia shook her head. "But I know where we're going: San Francisco. That's where Artemis was heading. The Mountain of Despair."

Alarm bells went off in Percy's head. That name, the Mountain of Despair, Mount Othrys, sounded far too familiar - and he knew why. "Titan magic? But… man, the Underworld and the Titans. What's wrong with San Francisco?" Thalia smiled at that, in spite of herself. "Anyways, how do you know we're going to San Francisco? How did you know Artemis was going there?"

Immediately, Thalia's smile dropped. "Ask Zoe. She's the expert on Artemis… and on the Titans, too." Percy winced at the sudden venom and static charge in the air. Thalia turned to glare out the side window, and he decided to shut up for a moment. Pissing Thalia off was dangerous, he knew that intimately by now, so avoiding doing that as much as possible seemed like a good idea for the preservation of his health. Glancing back towards her, the light filtering through the rail car's small holes glinted off her hair and it took on an almost silvery sheen. Suddenly, something clicked in Percy's head. Thalia was a survivor, yes, and a rebel - but she was still a leader like Zoe, a fighter like Zoe. Maybe she was a different kind of tough - but she was just as tough as Zoe, probably for the same reasons. Sitting in the dim sunlight, she looked for all the world like a Hunter who'd changed out of uniform for the night.

"That's why you don't get along with Zoe," he said, then regretted it. It was already too late, though, because she had turned back to him with a frown on her face.

"What?"

"The Hunters tried to recruit you," Percy explained. "But you would have had to leave Luke. That's what Zoe meant earlier about not having any wisdom when it came to boys, why you two fight so much."

Thalia looked like she was about ready to stab Percy into the seat and leave him behind. Instead, she just sighed. "Yeah. I almost took the vows, but I didn't… I couldn't leave Luke like that. Zoe said that I'd regret that, that he'd let me down someday."

Percy grimaced. "Harsh, but I mean…" He trailed off, well aware he was in dangerous territory.

"Luke never let me down! Not once," Thalia protested firmly. "Zoe was wrong."

Percy knew better than to point out all the times Luke had let her down or done the wrong thing - poisoning Thalia's tree, using Annabeth as bait for Artemis, even now working with the General to use Thalia - and also, he valued keeping all the important parts of his body attached to his body. Instead, he opened the door. It felt weird, kicking himself out of the car he'd picked, but it was better than losing body parts. Leaning back down to look inside, Percy paused, then said what he was thinking. "Look, Thalia. I know you and Annabeth both think of Luke as family. I also know what the prophecy says. I just… I just don't want to lose either of you like that."

Thalia's eyes were red-rimmed. "I appreciate that, Percy, but sometimes you have to let people protect themselves." Before Percy could finish thinking that one over, the daughter of Zeus continued. "Annabeth wanted to join the Hunters for a reason, Percy. Maybe you should ask yourself why."

Percy picked up the implicit end to the conversation and shut the door.

Sleep didn't come easily to Percy. After squirming about in the seats of some fantastically uncomfortable Porsche for a while, he finally gave up and simply crawled onto the roof of the freight car. The others were all already asleep, considering opportunities like this one came rarely on quests. Percy settled for watching the sun slowly drop towards the horizon, brilliant golden and russet hues staining the plains - and behind him, the purple belt of Venus rising in its place. The reason he couldn't sleep was quite simple, once he figured it out. He simply didn't want to face another dream about a helpless Annabeth suffering - not without being able to do something to help her, which he never could in dreams.

"Oh, don't be afraid of dreams," someone said, and Percy nearly leapt out of his skin. It was the homeless man from earlier, just as disheveled and smiling just as broadly. "Dreams can tell you lots of things, yes, but that's never a bad thing. You can always learn about yourself, or the future, or the past. Better than the tabloids."

The figure cleared his throat.

Heroes go westward,

Fighting monsters and villains.

Sleep is the worst fight.

Percy knew instantly that it was Apollo because who else would compose a haiku at all, let alone one that bad? As though sensing his thoughts, the god grinned and put a finger to his lips to hush Percy.

"I'm incognito. Call me Fred."

"Uh… Fred… why are you incognito?"

"Well, Perce," he said. "Zeus insists on certain rules for us gods, like 'no interfering with quests' and 'no interfering with the nym-'… uh, nevermind. Anyways, point is - nobody messes with my little sister and gets away with it. I'll do my best to help you guys however I can."

"So that's why this train is going so fast," Percy said. Apollo nodded.

"Sadly we're almost out of time - it's nearly sunset, after all. But I imagine we'll cover a good chunk of the country."

"But where are Artemis and Annabeth? And what monster is the Bane of Olympus?"

Apollo looked rather put out. "Even a god of prophecy can't see everything, cousin. My sister, your friend… they are clouded beyond my vision. And to be frank, I don't know what this monster would be. But Nereus, the Old Man of the Sea, might. If you haven't figured out the monster's identity by the time you get to San Francisco, look him up - he can answer just about any question you might have."

"I thought you were Fred, not Frank," Percy joked lamely, but he was honestly disappointed that the god of 'telling you the future' couldn't even tell him the present. "Can you at least explain the prophecy a little?"

Apollo sighed. "Would you ask Picasso to explain his artwork?" Seeing the look on Percy's face, he interrupted. "Don't answer that. The point is… telling you defeats the purpose. The meaning only comes through the search for it."

Well, that was clear as mud. Apollo snapped his fingers and Percy passed out.

Percy found himself in a dream, but fortunately it wasn't one about Annabeth or Artemis. Instead, he was being taken somewhere by a beautiful girl in a hurry - running ahead of him and dragging Percy along by his hand. His hand was suspiciously better built than it should have been, and he was wearing some old-fashioned Greek clothing - a robe, leather sandals, a lion-skin cape that he somehow knew was the Nemean Lion's.

"Hurry! He will find us!" The girl urged. Percy couldn't see her face well enough to discern her expression but he could hear the fear in her voice.

Stars hung heavily above. Each one picked out a tiny hole in the vast black fabric of the moonless night sky, unaffected by the rushing wind that blew the grasses and flowers surrounding them to and fro. Percy let himself be towed through this beautiful garden, awash with the aroma of wildgrasses and apple trees, by a girl who seemed intent on fleeing as though death itself were only moments behind. "I am not afraid, pretty one," Percy said, his voice different somehow - more confident, coarser. "I have bested thousands with my bare hands. We need not run."

The girl didn't slow at all. "Thou hast not bested this one! You should be afraid of him, for he is too strong. You must go around up the mountain… to my father."

They collapsed behind a thorn bush, breathing heavily, and Percy took just a moment to marvel at the strength in this body. He wasn't weak, he knew, but now… he could bend girders with one hand.

"I do not trust your father."

The girl nodded. "You should not, but it is the only way." The hurt in her voice was palpable. "You will have to trick him, take your prize indirectly. Otherwise, you will die."

Percy smiled at her. "Why do you not help me, then, pretty one? Guide me."

"I, I cannot. I am afraid. Ladon will know me, and if I were found out, my family would disown me. I cannot help you directly," the girl admitted, voice quivering at the very thought. Percy felt terrible - but evidently not in the dream, because his body stood up without him wanting to, clapping his hands together.

"Right! Nothing for it, then. I must slay Ladon."

The girl agonized over something for a moment, then reached up to her long, silken, black hair. Plucking a long white hairpin from her head, she cradled it in both hands and exhaled. The pin glistened like mother of pearl - nacre, Poseidon's heritage supplied in Percy's head - and she held it out hesitantly. "If you must fight, take this. It is a gift from my mother, of the ocean… it holds her immortal power within it. My immortal power. It is all I can offer."

Percy accepted it with a laugh. "How shall a hairpin allow me to defeat Ladon, the beast with many heads?"

"It may not," She responded. "But take it anyways. Its name is Anaklusmos, the current which takes one by surprise. Before you know it, it sweeps you out to sea." Percy turned the hairpin over in his steely grasp, and as he did, it grew into a familiar blade, bronze and glowing softly in what little night permeated the night air. It was well-balanced, familiar, easy in his hands. The grass hissed softly around them, and the girl's head snapped around. "Too late! He is here! Run!"

When Percy awoke, he wasn't sitting on the roof of the car, but rather slouched against the wall of the car, a fierce cramp in his neck. Apollo couldn't have bothered to teleport him into a car seat or something? Whatever. It was sunrise, the car had stopped, and the others were already outside. Time to get a move on.

Walking out to stand next to the others, he fingered his pen in his pocket. Somehow, he knew it was the one from the dream - and that the girl had been Zoe, millenia ago. He just wasn't quite sure how to handle that information. Was he supposed to give her the sword back? To tell her he was sorry for carrying it with him?

Outside, snowy hills rolled gently into each other, pines densely packed on the lower slopes. It was a tiny little ski town, not quite awoken yet by the sun's rays. It was freezing, and Percy suddenly felt quite jealous of Thalia's fleece-lined bomber jacket/lion pelt. The snow they trudged through from the train tracks to main street was feet deep in some places, and occasionally Percy and Zoe had to pull the much shorter others free of various deep drifts, but eventually they arrived at Main Street - not that it was much to write home about. There were two shops open, and the nearer one was a sleepy little coffee shop that doubled as a general store. As they headed towards it, Percy told Grover the events of the night - mostly the hint to go after Nereus. It didn't seem to put the satyr at ease, but Grover rarely was.

Then again, neither was Percy. The General had given Annabeth until Friday to live - so she had four days. And there was something about a sacrifice, and also the whole 'destroy Olympus and the mortal world,' thing, too. So of course, coffee was the number one priority. Grover and Zoe set about gathering coffee and snacks, while Percy, Thalia, and Bianca headed for the only other place in town open before eight - the grocery store. Inside, they bought some better winter gear, grilled the clerk for information, and found out very little of use. Apparently, there was a nice old rail trestle bridge, there was no easy way to get around without a car, and the grocery store sold rubber rats. Percy bought two.

Once they'd left the store, Bianca walked off, saying she wanted to explore the town a bit. That left Percy and Thalia standing rather awkwardly on the store porch as they waited for coffee.

"Nice rats," Thalia said finally.

"Thanks," Percy said, blinking. "Want one?"

Thalia shook her head but the offer seemed to make her smile a little bit. She hunkered down into the lion-pelt coat with a shiver. "Nah. Hey…" She trailed off, uncertain.

"I'm sorry for last night," Percy blurted out before he could stop himself. "I was a dick. You're right. I should have just left it alone." He cringed, but it was out there now, and it was up to Thalia how to respond. She blinked owlishly.

"It's fine, Percy. You're right, even if you are a dick sometimes. I need to realize Luke isn't the same guy I knew way back then. It's just hard, sometimes, with people who matter to you, you know?"

"No, not really - but I get it, I think. You don't want him to be that guy, it doesn't square with who you thought he was, so it's hard to change your idea of him."

Thalia thought for a moment, then nodded. "You know, Percy, sometimes, you can be pretty okay."

Percy was a little hurt by that but covered it quickly. "Even though I nearly lost us Capture the Flag? And knocked you down in the Smithsonian? And got Annabeth lost?"

Thalia nodded. "Well, the Capture the Flag stuff was a dick move, but none of the rest of it was really your fault. I'm sure… I think it would have worked out this way no matter what. Fate is a funny thing." She bit half of her bottom lip, and Percy felt something funny wash over him for a minute. Then Thalia shrugged off the lion's coat and handed it to him. "Your lips are blue, Percy, you should really try to warm up for a bit."

Percy took the coat without complaint. It really was incredibly cold, and the store hadn't had any coats in Percy-size, just a thin hoodie. As he took the coat, it shifted from Thalia's World War Two bomber jacket into a canvas Coast Guard coat, olive drab and fleece-lined. He threw it on and realized very suddenly just how cold he had actually been.

Finally, Grover and Zoe arrived with the coffee, Bianca in tow. Percy and Thalia accepted the coffee as though the Gods themselves had brewed it, sipping reverently at the warm beverages. Percy took the blueberry muffin Grover had gotten him (handing Grover the muffin sleeve, which he immediately scarfed down) and practically inhaled it. It was Percy's first food in the thirty-six hours since he'd left camp - he was starving.

Something weird was happening, though. The small wooly mammoths painted onto Grover's coffee cup began to march around the cup's circumference. A warm breeze gusted past them, carrying springtime flowers even though it was the depths of winter. The birds on Bianca's cup tore themselves free of the wax paper lining and took to the skies (still, of course, two-dimensional, and Percy's brain hurt). Percy's rubber rats squeaked and took off down the hillside. Grover gasped, groaned, and collapsed to the patio. The satyr was babbling incoherently.

None of that really mattered when Percy caught sight of the skeletons, though.

"Get Grover up," he ordered. "We gotta go."

The group made it to the edge of town before the first two skeletons caught up with them. Drawing their weapons uneasily, the group formed a circle around Bianca and Grover - the young huntress supporting the delirious goat-man as he swooned and stumbled. "Can you guys carry Grover out of here?" Percy asked as four more warriors arrived, slowly encircling the heroes. "I can distract them for a while."

"Probably, but he's not cooperating," Bianca said. As she said it, though, Grover stood up a little straighter, carrying his own weight more. "Besides, we're surrounded."

"It's near. The gift of the Wild… It's almost here," Grover muttered almost incoherently. Percy ignored him.

"Alright. On three, you guys take Grover and run. Don't get caught up fighting. I'll distract these guys as long as I can." As Percy spoke, the skeletons drew pistols, chambering rounds in a noisy cacophony of mechanical actions and rattling bones. "One… Two…"

On the implied three, Percy rushed forwards, and time slowed down. The skeleton directly north of him fired a bullet, and somehow Percy could see it as it drifted through the air, could trace each impression of the barrel's rifling on the projectile's lead jacket. Bringing Riptide up, he batted the round to the side, then leapt forwards to cleave the skeleton in two. Knowing that wouldn't hold it for long, he turned to the west, rushing towards the next skeleton and kicking his gun off into the snow. It was then that he realized the others hadn't left, and instead were fighting the remaining skeletons. Zoe was shooting arrows as best she could with one arm wrapped around Grover to keep track of him, Thalia was basically dancing in the corpse of another to keep it from reforming while she distracted the fifth, and Bianca did battle with the sixth. As he watched, Bianca struck with her knife and caught a lucky strike against the skeleton's sternum. The skeleton burst into black flames - and Percy, who had made committed the cardinal combat sin of sitting on his ass, felt two bullets ram themselves into his ribcage, burrowing like moles hungry for his internal organs.

Thalia screamed his name as he flew forwards, but the pain didn't feel like he expected. This was just a dull throbbing, like a bad bruise, not the sharp and intense pain he thought gunshots should feel like. The lion's coat was bulletproof and had just saved his life. Apparently the others didn't realize that, though - even Grover was overcome with momentary bloodlust, knocking the skull off a reforming skeleton with his reed pipes and playing a line from an Iron Maiden song before he returned to the dazed and confused mess he had previously been. Bianca wrestled another skeleton onto the ground and stabbed downwards, and again it burst into black flame. Heedless of this success, Zoe and Thalia teamed up on the two remaining standing monsters. Thalia acted like a woman possessed, charging directly into the skeletons she and Zoe had targeted and breaking them apart with her shield before summoning a bolt of lightning onto the pile of bones.

Percy stood up. His ribs hurt like hell - again - but he was alive. "Bianca, how the hell do you do that?"

The huntress startled at his voice, but didn't waste time questioning his resurrection. "I don't know!" She shouted back.

"Well, keep doing it!" Percy shouted, then rejoined the fray. Eventually, the group managed to work their way outside of the circle of skeletons and began backing up the hill, hiding behind Percy and Thalia's combined shield cover.

A thunderous squeal shook snow from the trees around them. "The Wild's blessing," Grover groaned. "She's here." From where Percy stood, it didn't seem like much of a gift. A forty-foot tall boar, bristling with black hair and with two great ten-foot tusks, pawed at the ground. It caught a VW beetle with one enormous cloven hoof and the car went rolling down the hill. Then, it charged the skeletons - and immediately behind them, the questers.

"Scatter!" Bellowed Zoe. Dragging Grover behind him, Percy did just that. Thalia raised her spear, but Zoe snatched the daughter of Zeus away just as a set of tusks cleaved the air where she had stood. "Don't kill it! It's the Erymanthian Boar, I don't even know if we can!"

Grover muttered about a blessing again as Percy did his best to keep him from becoming Grover-kebab, and Percy had an idea. "Hey, pig-head!" He shouted. Not his best insult, but it would do. "Over here!" Percy then took off into the woods, hearing the pines behind him splinter as the boar took the bait. He sprinted towards a cornice at the edge of the woods, spotting Thalia, green-faced at the edge of the cliff and tackling her over the side on instinct. The two flew over the cliff edge and down the side, Percy's battered torso taking the brunt of the damage of the slide as they pinballed off of trees and bushes and boulders. "What the hell, Thalia?" He asked between hits.

She shrugged.

Finally, they arrived at the bottom of the gorge. The boar, unprepared for the sudden drop-off, squealed as it got airtime before it plummeted into the thirty-foot snowpack just yards downhill of the panting demigods. Thalia looked like she'd fought a Christmas tree and lost. Percy felt like he'd gone twelve rounds with Ivan Drago.

"You're afraid of heights," Percy said. Thalia blushed. Percy reached out and picked a few pine needles out of her hair.

Thalia narrowed her eyes, composure regained. "If you tell anyone…" The threat stood unspoken. Percy nodded.

"Hey! You guys okay?" Grover called from somewhere at the top of the cliff. Evidently, he'd recovered.

Thalia scrambled up from where she lay on Percy's chest. He breathed heavily, his shattered and abused ribs making it torture, and then stood up on his own. Thalia didn't make eye contact as she called up to Grover. "Down here!"

Once they had regrouped, everybody stood around to watch the boar struggle in the snowpack.

"Hercules wounded it with rosebushes and trapped it in the snow, then carried it home," Percy supplied from memory.

"I don't think we can carry it," Bianca observed. "But Grover keeps saying it's a blessing. Could we… ride it?"

"Like… pig cowboys?" Thalia asked skeptically. "Fun."

But Zoe was nodding enthusiastically. "We must take advantage of this gift. Grover, could you?"

The satyr pulled out his pipes and played a quick tune, then threw an apple into the air. It hovered above the boar, which promptly went mad straining upwards after it.

"This boar is a gift from the god Pan. It must not be squandered," Zoe reiterated.

Percy thought about the old saying his friend from Wyoming had about bull riders. To become a bull rider, you take a mouthful of marbles, and you go ride bulls. When you've lost all your marbles, you're a bullrider.

If that's what real, honest cowboys said about bullriding, what the hell would they make of five city-slickers taking on a forty foot sow?