𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲, [ PJO ]

𝟶𝟺: "𝙱𝚘𝚢𝚋𝚘𝚜𝚜?"

"𝚂𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝙸 𝚐𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚞𝚙,
𝙾𝚛 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝙸 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚔𝚎𝚎𝚙 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚙𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚜?
𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚒𝚏 𝚒𝚝 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚜 𝚗𝚘𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎,
𝙾𝚛 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚒𝚝 𝚋𝚎 𝚊 𝚠𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎?
𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚒𝚏 𝙸 𝚔𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝚖𝚢 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚎 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝙸 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚒𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎?"

───» Chasing Pavements, Adele «───

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PERCY MADE IT ACROSS THE FIRST LANE OF TRAFFIC, with Finn close behind. A driver honked. Another yelled something that was lost in the wind. Most just swerved and looked irritated, as if they had to deal with a lot of ratty teenagers carrying old hippie women across the freeway here in Berkeley. 

A shadow fell above them, "Clever boy! Found a goddess to carry, did you?"

Oh. She's a goddess.

June cackled with delight, muttering, "Whoops!" as a car almost killed them.

Somewhere off to his left, one screamed, "Get them! Three prizes are better than two!"

Finn followed Percy closely across the remaining lanes. Somehow he made it to the median alive. He saw the gorgons swooping down, cars swerving as the monsters passed overhead. He wondered what the mortals saw through the Mist—giant pelicans? Off-course hang gliders? 

Percy ran for the door in the hillside, he seemed to be struggling more and more with each step.

One of the guards yelled. The guy with the bow nocked an arrow. Percy shouted, "Wait!" 

But the boy wasn't aiming at him. The arrow flew over Percy's head. A gorgon wailed in pain. Finn flinched at the noise, causing June to grab onto his arm to keep him going. The second guard readied her spear, gesturing frantically at Percy to hurry.

They were so close, yet fear filled them both.

"Gotcha!" one of them shrieked. Percy turned as an arrow thudded into her forehead. Finn exhaled in relief as the gorgon tumbled into the fast lane. A truck slammed into her and carried her backward a hundred yards, but she just climbed over the cab, pulled the arrow out of her head, and launched back into the air.

"That's horrifyin'," Finn mumbled, clutching his shirt.

Finally, they reached the doors.  "Thanks," Percy told the guards. "Good shot."

"That should've killed her!" the archer protested.

"Welcome to my world," Percy muttered

"Frank," the girl said. "Get them inside, quick! Those are gorgons."

Finn liked this girl, she seemed smart.

"Gorgons?" The archer's voice squeaked. It was hard to tell much about him under the helmet, but he looked built, yet young. "Will the door hold them?" 

In Percy's arms, June cackled. "No, no it won't. Onward, Percy Jackson, Finn Collins! Through the tunnel, over the river!"

"Percy Jackson? Finn Coll-," Her eyes stopped on Finn for a moment, as if remembering something before she quickly glanced away. She was darker-skinned, with curly hair sticking out the sides of her helmet. Her sword scabbard came down almost to her ankle. She sounded strong, like she was in control. "Okay, you're obviously a demigod. But who's the—?" She glanced at June. "Never mind. Just get inside. I'll hold them off."