The Sun and The Sea

The Jailbreak

The left tunnel, which seemed to be the best option at first, was a decent idea. It was straight with no side exits, twists, or turns. Unfortunately, it was a dead end. A large boulder was blocking the path, but the group needed to move. Something that wasn't human was approaching quickly. 

"Tyson," Percy said urgently. "Can you-?"

"Yes!" the cyclops grinned. He slammed his large shoulder against the rock. The force from the attack caused dust to trickle down as the whole corridor shook. 

"Hurry!" Grover said. "Don't bring the roof down, but hurry!"

"No. Take your time. It's not like we have a monster on our tails," Finley said sarcastically before whispering under her breath. "It's not like any of us are claustrophobic."

The boulder finally gave with a horrible grinding noise. Tyson pushed it into a small room and the group rushed through. 

"Close the entrance!" Annabeth hissed. 

Everyone pushed the boulder back into place. Whatever had been chasing them wailed in frustration once the rock was in place. 

"We trapped it," Percy sighed in relief. 

"Or trapped ourselves," Grover countered. 

Finley turned to see they were in a twenty-square-foot cement room. The opposite wall was covered with metal bars. They tunneled into a prison cell. 

"What in Hades?" Annabeth swore as she tugged on the bars. They didn't budge. However, through the bars, you could see rows of cells in a ring around a dark courtyard. It was about three stories high with metal doors and metal catwalks. 

"A prison," Percy declared. 

"No," Finley said exasperatedly as she began to breathe heavily. "It's a shopping mall!"

"Maybe Tyson can break-" Percy continued, choosing to ignore Finley. 

"Shh," Grover hushed. "Listen."

Somewhere above them, deep sobbing echoed through the building. Along with the sobbing was a deep and raspy voice. It was muttering in some foreign language, not the Finley needed to know. She already knew it couldn't be good. 

"What's that language?" Percy questioned, his sea-green eyes scanning the group. 

"Can't be!" Tyson murmured as his eye widened. 

"Please share," Finley stated, running her hands down her pant legs, hoping to calm down. 

Thankfully, she began to calm down. 

"Wait!" Grover called as Tyson bent the bars of their cell door wide enough for a cyclops to fit through. 

Tyson didn't wait, he took off down the corridor, and the others followed. 

"I know this place," Annabeth declared as they ran. "This is Alcatraz."

"You mean that island near San Francisco?" 

"Like Al Capone?" 

These were the first two questions to leave the mouths of Percy and Finley. 

"My school took a field trip here." Annabeth nodded, her blonde hair flying behind her as she ran. "It's like a museum."

It was clear Percy was skeptical about going through the maze and appearing on the other side of America within hours. However, he didn't say anything. He knew Annabeth had been going to school in San Francisco, but it was still odd for him. 

"Freeze," Grover cautioned, but Tyson kept running. "Stop! Tyson! Can't you see it?"

Finley's gaze followed to where he had been pointing. "Shit..."