Chapter Text
I tore across the Mall, not daring to look behind me. I burst into the Air and Space Museum. The main part of the museum was one huge room with rockets and airplanes hanging from the ceiling. Three levels of balconies curled around, so you could look at the exhibits from all different heights. The place wasn’t crowded, just a few families and a couple of tour groups of kids, probably doing one of those holiday school trips. I wanted to yell at them all to leave, but I knew that would only get me arrested. I had to find Everybody.
Any minute, the skeleton dudes were going to invade the museum, and I didn’t think they would settle for an audio tour, luckily I knew where they were going to be. I was barreling up the ramp to the top-floor balcony and almost slammed into Thalia. Before I could regain my balance, Zoë and Bianca had arrows notched, aimed at my chest. Their bows had just appeared out of nowhere.
When Zoë realized who I was, she lowered her bow. “You! Where were you?”
“Percy!” Grover said. “Thank goodness.”
"We don't have time, we need to go." I said.
"What is wrong?" Nico asked.
“Luke,” I said, trying to catch my breath.
Nico only nodded.
“He’s here.” The anger in Thalia’s eyes immediately melted. She put her hand on her silver bracelet. “Where?” I told them about the Natural History Museum, Dr. Thorn, Luke, and the General.
“The General is here?” Zoë looked stunned. “That is impossible! You lie.” “Why would I lie? Look, there’s no time. Skeleton warriors—”
“What?” Thalia demanded.
“How many?”
“Twelve,” I said. “And that’s not all. The General, he said he was sending something, a ‘playmate,’ to distract you over here. A monster.” Thalia and Grover exchanged looks. “We were following Artemis’s trail,” Grover said. “I was pretty sure it led here. Some powerful monster scent…She must’ve stopped here looking for the mystery monster. But we haven’t found anything yet.”
“Zoë,” Bianca said nervously,
“if it is the General—”
“It cannot be!” Zoë snapped. “Percy must have seen an Iris-message or some other illusion.”
“Illusions don’t crack marble floors,” I told her. Zoë took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. I knew why she was taking it so personally, and how she knew the General, I didn't blame her.
“If Percy is telling the truth about the skeleton warriors,” she said,
“We have no time to argue. They are the worst, the most horrible…We must leave now.”
"Come on. Let’s get back to the van.” Thalia said. “That is not thy decision!” Zoë snapped. Thalia scowled at her. “You’re not the boss here, Zoë. I don’t care how old you are! You’re still a conceited little brat!”
Before they could continue arguing Nico cut in.
"We need to leave, there is no time for arguing." Nico said. Thalia looked like she was about to hit Zoë. Then everyone froze.
I heard a growl so loud it startled me. Below us, a few adults screamed. A little kid’s voice screeched with delight: “Kitty!” Something enormous bounded up the ramp. It was the size of a pick-up truck, with silver claws and golden glittering fur. I’d seen this monster before. Two years ago, I’d glimpsed it briefly from a train. I fought it a long time ago.
“The Nemean Lion,” Thalia said. “Don’t move.” The lion roared so loud it parted my hair. Its fangs gleamed like stainless steel. “Separate on my mark,” Zoë said. “Try to keep it distracted.”
“Until when?” Grover asked.
“Until I think of a way to kill it. Go!”
I uncapped Riptide and rolled to the left. Arrows whistled past me, and Grover played a sharp tweet-tweet cadence on his reed pipes. I turned and saw Zoë and Bianca climbing the Apollo capsule. They were firing arrows, one after another, all shattering harmlessly against the lion’s metallic fur. The lion swiped the capsule and tipped it on its side, spilling the Hunters off the back. Grover played a frantic, horrible tune, and the lion turned toward him, but Thalia stepped into its path, holding up Aegis, and the lion recoiled. “ROOOAAAR!” “Hi-yah!” Thalia said. “Back!” The lion growled and clawed the air, but it retreated as if the shield were a blazing fire.
“Hey!” I charged the beast. I just wanted to get it away from my friends. I slashed with Riptide, a good strike to the flank that should’ve cut the monster into Meow Mix, but the blade just clanged against its fur in a burst of sparks. The lion raked me with its claws, ripping off a chunk of my coat. I backed against the railing. It sprang at me, as it was cornering me, I saw Nico coming up from behind but I knew it wouldn't do. I didn't want to do this but I rolled away at an opening and stood up.
It went to attack but I snapped my fingers and it froze, everybody stopped and looked at me.
"Percy, What are you doing?" Grover yelled.
I ignored him. I looked at the Nemean Lion.
"If you try to attack us again and I will personally send you to Tarturus, do you understand." Percy said in a voice that a king would use. Everyone was staring at Percy in shock and confusion. The monster bowed it's head and I snapped my fingers to release it, it did not attempt to attack.
"Percy, what the Hades?" Thaila yelled. "No time," I said back.
“We have to get out of here,” Grover said. “The security guards won’t stay confused for long.” I noticed how strange it was that the guards hadn’t rushed forward to arrest us. They were scrambling in all directions except ours, like they were madly searching for something. A few were running into the walls or each other.
“You did that?” I asked Grover. He nodded, looking a little embarrassed.
“A minor confusion song. I played some Barry Manilow. It works every time. But it’ll only last a few seconds.”
“The security guards are not our biggest worry,” Zoë said.
"Okay, back up is know one going to talk about that?" Thaila said pointing to the Nemean Lion that was rubbing against me.
Everyone looked at me.
"What, I have a pet now it's name is Occisor."
"Occisor?"
"Look we talk about it later, but we have to leave now."
"He's right we need to leave." Nico said.
“Look.” Bianca said, pointing through the glass walls of the museum, I could see a group of men walking across the lawn. Gray men in gray camouflage outfits. They were too far away for us to see their eyes, but I could feel their gaze aimed straight at me.
"We need to leave now." I said.
I wisppered to Occisor to attack and met us at the Hover dam.
Then we ran.
