stollen things || c. stoll

3.3~ Cross-Country Pig

As we were speeding through D.C. traffic, a black military helicopter started towards us.

"We have to ditch the van," I said. "They recognize it."

"Maybe the military will shoot it down?" Bianca said hopefully.

"They probably think it's one of theirs." Percy said.

He was right. The helicopter was gaining on us, going much faster than our strawberry van could. Thalia closed her eyes and prayed.

"Hey, Dad. A lightning bolt would be nice right about now... Please?"

Nothing happened. Apparently Zeus wasn't listening.

"There! That parking lot!" Bianca pointed across the lanes.

"We'll be trapped," Zoë said.

"Trust me."

So she did. Zoë sped across two lanes of traffic and came skidding into a mall parking lot. We all crawled out the van as soon as it stopped and followed Bianca down some stairs. We agreed on going south. We quickly bought tickets with the limited money we had and got onto a train as fast as possible.

"Nice job, Bianca, thinking of the subway." I said, slipping into a seat and leaning back. The power I had used earlier had drained me a bit.

"Have you ever been on a subway? I wouldn't sit back like that if I were you," Thalia eyed me with a tinge of disgust. I slowly stood back up and stood next to Percy, hanging on to the rail. He was the least annoying out of the four of my companions. Except maybe Bianca, but she wasn't easy to talk to.

As the train came above ground, we saw the helicopter circling where we'd left the van. We made small talk that turned into a very confusing conversation about Bianca and Nico's past. The helicopter got louder, and we changed trains twice over the next half hour. Once we'd finally lost them, we made it to the end of the line. Nothing but empty railways tracks and snow.

There was no one but one homeless person huddled over a trash can fire. He welcomed us over and we shared his fire for a bit.

"You kids need a train going west?" He grinned his toothless grin.

"When did we say wes-" I started, but Percy cut me off.

"Yes, sir. You know of any?"

The man pointed one shaky finger toward a gleaming freight train with the words SUN WEST LINE written across it.

"That's convenient," Thalia raised an eyebrow.

The train was one of those trains that hauled cars around. We all climbed in and picked a car. Zoë and Bianca shared a Lexus, Thalia picked a Mercedes, and I chose a Lamborghini. It was disappointing not to be able to have a radio, but at least I'd be able to have a nap. I lay down in the backseat and drifted off. When I woke, I glanced out the windows of the train. The moon was out. I entertained myself for the next few hours with growing small sprouts from under my boots. At camp, my powers were much more powerful because I was always surrounded by some sort of wildlife. However, if I was in a concrete building, it would be a lot harder and more tiring. Like with the Nemean Lion.

I'd have to start carrying bags of dirt around.

•

At some point while I was sleeping, Percy came into my car and went down for a nap in the drivers seat. I shook him awake sometime around sunrise and we got out of the train. We were at some little town in the mountains of New Mexico. The whole place was covered in snow, but it wasn't much of a place at all. There was a grocery store, a school, a few ski cabins, a café, and some tourist shops.