stollen things || c. stoll

5.3 ~ Meet The Parents

Percy and Annabeth were at the front, leading us over the sky bridge and to the palace. When we reached the palace, I heard the familiar mooing of the Ophiotaurus. I couldn't help but smile as he swam in circles.

Hestia was at the hearth, and began speaking with Percy. We bowed to her. Moments later, Percy collapsed. Oh, joy. What a great day. Annabeth caught his arm and pulled him up. He shook his head a bit to clear his head and turned to Hestia.

"We need to see—"

"We know what you need." A man's voice came out of nowhere. He looked to be twenty-five, but I could recognize those features in any form he took. I'd spent many nights looking into similar eyes. It was Hermes. And he did not look happy.

Hestia bowed slightly and shimmered away.

Connor stiffened next to me. I could tell how anxious he was in the presence of his father. Travis wasn't doing too well either. It wasn't until Hermes looked directly at me that I realized Connor and I were still gripping each other's hands. I managed a small bow and a friendly-ish smile before he looked back to Percy.

"Lord Hermes." Percy said with a bow. "We need to talk to Zeus. It's important."

"I am his messenger. May I take a message?"

Everyone was silent, waiting for Percy to say something. He turned slowly to us and said, "Why don't you guys do a sweep of the city? Check the defenses. See who's left in Olympus. Meet me and Annabeth back here in thirty minutes."

"That's a good idea," Annabeth said. "Connor and Travis, you lead."

Both of the boys exhaled, before putting on the familiar smiles I loved so much. Liked so much. Who said loved? Not me.

"We're on it!" Travis led everyone back out of the throne room. We had hardly made it out of the palace before we saw the problem. Or rather, heard. Or rather, rather, didn't hear. The city was entirely silent. We rushed to the edge of the mountain to look down on the city through binoculars. The traffic had stopped. No cars were moving, people were laying down on the sidewalks and in the road.

"Are they dead?" Silena whispered.

"Not dead," Percy said. "Morpheus has put the entire island of Manhattan to sleep. The invasion has started."

•

When we made it back down to the streets, Annabeth had pulled out a bronze shield and was showing live footage of the Statue of Liberty with television-level quality. The video began spinning and zooming until it landed on an image of Lighthouse Park. She showed more images, each worse than the last. There were boats coming in from the rivers and monsters marching up the shore. We concluded that it was just the city that was asleep, rather than the state.

"We need to guard the bridges and tunnels," Percy began. "Let's assume they'll try a midtown or downtown assault, at least on their first try. That would be the most direct way to the Empire State Building. Michael, take Apollo's cabin to the Williamsburg bridge. Maddy, take Demeter to the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel. Connor, take half of Hermes to cover the Manhattan bridge. Travis, take the rest to cover the Brooklyn Bridge. Silena, take the Aphrodite crew to the Queens-Midtown tunnel."

He shut his eyes tight, trying to think of what other places would be targets. It was impressive how well he knew the city. But maybe that was just my small-town Vermont mind speaking.

"Jake, take the Holland tunnel. Use Greek fire, set traps, do whatever you have to do. The 59th street bridge, Clarisse—"

We all froze. Right. Annabeth cleared her throat. "We'll take that. Malcolm, take the Athena cabin, activate plan twenty-three on your way, just like I showed you. Hold that position."

"You got it." He smiled grimly.

"I'll go with Percy. Then we'll join you, or go wherever we're needed."

"No detours, you two." I called out.

"Oh, says you." Michael Yew rolled his eyes. I slapped his arm.

"All right, keep in touch with cell phones." Percy said, but Silena pointed out that we don't have any. He grabbed a BlackBerry from the ground and tossed it to Silena. "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."

"Uh," Travis started. "If we find a really nice phone—"

"No, you can't keep it."

Travis huffed.

"Hold on, Percy, you forgot the Lincoln tunnel." Jake Mason pointed out.

Percy muttered some not-so-appropriate words. Just when we were about to scrap the entire plan, we heard a voice. "How about you leave that to us?" Thalia. I'd never been exactly glad to see her, but now was definitely an exception. "The Hunters of Artemis, reporting for duty."

They rushed off toward the Lincoln tunnel, and Percy turned to the campers.

"You are the greatest heroes of this millennium. It doesn't matter how many monsters come at you. Fight bravely, and we will win. FOR OLYMPUS!" Percy shouted. We shouted in response, then dispersed.

"Demeter, with me!" I called out to my cabin of just eight. I had no idea how we would cover an entire tunnel, but maybe some nymphs would be around to help us. When we reached the tunnel, there were a few measly trees nearby, but nothing exciting. I got right to work, and my siblings followed. Poison ivy hanging from the ceiling to hit the monsters' eyes and swell them. Vines as thick as we could make them from the ceiling as well, with thorns for an extra kick.

An hour later, our energy was entirely drained and the tunnel was thick with branches and trees and giant mushrooms. It would take a lot of force to break through that much. But it would also take a lot of energy to make it back to the meeting point. We dragged ourselves away from the tunnel and I grabbed the nearest phone, typing in Annabeth's phone number. Will Solace picked up. I told him our situation and he sent a few of his siblings to pick up us and help us make it back to the hotel we were camped out in without collapsing. We rested for a bit, and when our energy was back up, my cabin and I whipped up plenty of good food for everyone.

Kronos had announced that he would hit us in the evening, so we had time to recooperate and heal ourselves.

That's when I heard about the drugstore raid. This, I couldn't pass up. I left Madge in charge of the cabin and ran out after Travis.

•

i am exhausted and it's midterms this week and also i'm doing nanowrimo i hope