VIDEO GAMES! (p. jackson) (#1)

- six

act i, chapter vi
december 17, 2018
washington, dc — vienna, va

THEY WERE CROSSING THE POTOMAC WHEN THEY SPOTTED THE HELICOPTER.

It was a sleek, black military model just like the one at Westover Hall, and it was coming straight toward them.

"they know the van," Percy said. "we have to ditch it."

Zoë swerved into the fast lane. The helicopter was gaining.

"Maybe the military will shoot it down," Grover said hopefully.

"That's not how the military works," Rose frowned. "Besides, they probably think it's one of theirs."

"How can the General use mortals anyway?" Percy asked.

"Mercenaries," Zoë said bitterly. "It is distasteful, but many mortals will fight for any cause as long as they are paid."

"But don't the mortals see who they're working for? Don't they notice all the monsters around them?"

Zoë shook her head. "I do not know how much they see through the mist. I doubt it would matter to them if they knew the truth. Sometimes mortals can be more horrible than monsters."

The helicopter kept coming, making a lot better time than they were through DC traffic.

Rose closed her eyes and silently prayed. Nothing happened.

"There!" Bianca said, pointing to a parking lot.

"We'll be trapped," Zoë said.

"No, she's right," Rose told the group. "Turn there!"

Zoë shot across two lanes of traffic and into a mall parking lot on the south side of the river. They ditched the van and followed Bianca down some steps. Rose saw a sign, and realized they were headed toward the King Street Metro station in Alexandria.

"subway entrance," Bianca told them.

"Let's go south," Rose suggested. "we can get off in Vienna."

"Anything," Thalia agreed.

They bought metro cards, using money on Rose's debit card, and got through the turnstiles. A few minutes later, they were safely aboard a southbound train, riding away from DC. As their train came above ground, Rose could see the helicopter circling over the lot where the van had been parked, but it was pretty far from the train.

Grover let out a sigh. "Nice job, Bianca."

Bianca looked pleased. "Yeah, well. I saw the station when Nico and I came through last summer. It must be fairly new, though. I remember being really surprised to see it because it wasn't here when we lived inDC."

Rose frowned. "New? I live here, that station's been there all my life."

Bianca shrugged. "Trust me, when we lived here as little kids, there was no subway."

Thalia's chains jingled as she sat forward. "Wait— no subway at all?"

Bianca nodded.

Rose and Percy shared a look. the subway system in DC had been built in 1969. Surely Bianca was fucking with them.

"Bianca," Zoë said. "How long ago..." 

Her voice faltered. They could hear the helicopter above them again.

"We need to change trains," Percy said. "Next station."

Over the next half hour, all they focused on was getting away safely. Unfortunately, the Metro came to an end, dumping them in Vienna. Rose could've sworn it went farther than that, but apparently not.