Partners in Crime || PJOxHP || Marauders' Era

Bessie

The cafe was packed with kids enjoying the best part of the tour—the dam lunch.

Thalia, Zoe, and Grover were just sitting down with their food.

"We need to leave," Jessica gasped. "Now!" 

"But we just got our burritos!" Thalia said. 

Zoe stood up, muttering an Ancient Greek curse. "He's right! Look."

The cafe windows wrapped all the way around the observation floor, which gave them a beautiful panoramic view of the skeletal army that had come to kill them. Jessica counted two on the east side of the dam road, blocking the way to Arizona. Three more on the west side, guarding Nevada. All of them were armed with batons and pistols.

But the immediate problem was a lot closer. The three skeletal warriors who'd been chasing them in the turbine room now appeared on the stairs. They saw Percy and Jessica from across the cafeteria and clattered their teeth.

"Elevator!" Grover said. They bolted that direction, but the doors opened with a pleasant ding, and three more warriors stepped out. Every warrior was accounted for, minus the one Bianca had blasted to flames in New Mexico. They were completely surrounded. 

***

Then Grover had a brilliant, totally Grover-like idea. "Burrito fight!" he yelled, and flung his Guacamole Grande at the nearest skeleton. 

Now, if you have never been hit by a flying burrito, count yourself lucky. In terms of deadly projectiles, it's right up there with grenades and cannonballs. Grover's lunch hit the skeleton and knocked his skull clean off his shoulders. Jessica wasn't sure what the other kids in the cafe saw, but they went crazy and started throwing their burritos and baskets of chips and sodas at each other, shrieking and screaming.

The skeletons tried to aim their guns, but it was hopeless. Bodies and food and drinks were flying everywhere. In the chaos, Thalia and Jessica tackled the other two skeletons on the stairs and sent them flying into the condiment table. Then they all raced downstairs, Guacamole Grandes whizzing past their heads.

"What now?" Grover asked as they burst outside. Jessica didn't have an answer. The warriors on the road were closing in from either direction. They ran across the street to the pavilion with the winged bronze statues, but that just put their backs to the mountain. The skeletons moved forward, forming a crescent around them. Their brethren from the cafe were running up to join them. One was still putting its skull back on its shoulders. Another was covered in ketchup and mustard. Two more had burritos lodged in their ribcages. They didn't look happy about it. They drew batons and advanced.

"Five against eleven," Zoe muttered. "And they cannot die."

"It's been nice adventuring with you guys," Grover said, his voice trembling. Something shiny caught the corner of Jessica's eye. She glanced behind at the statue's feet.

"Whoa," Jessica said. "Their toes really are bright."

"Percy!" Thalia said. "This isn't the time."

But Jessica couldn't help staring at the two giant bronze guys with tall bladed wings like letter openers. They were weathered brown except for their toes, which shone like new pennies from all the times people had rubbed them for good luck.

Good luck. The blessing of Zeus.

Jessica thought about the tour guide in the elevator. Her gray eyes and her smile. What had she said? There is always a way for those clever enough to find it.

"Thalia, Percy," Percy said. "Pray to your dad."

Thalia glared at him. "He never answers."

"Just this once," Jessica pleaded. "Ask for help. I think... I think the statues can give us some luck."