σɾɳιƚԋαʂ (ρʝσ x ɱαʅҽ σƈ)

I Meet a Couple of Kitties

Theo's POV

I never knew that flying a Pegasus could be so exhilarating, but here we are.

While in the air, Percy told me about the "sea cow" he freed, and that he and Nico saw that one of the Hunters, Phoebe, was bedridden because of a T-shirt sprayed in centaur blood. Despite this, Zoe was adamant that they leave with only four, despite Bianca insisting that I go with them, given that Artemis is my mother.

Percy also told me that he promised Nico that he'd keep Bianca safe. I hoped he could keep that promise, but given the fact that two of the five would die, I didn't like the odds.

The thing about flying on a pegasus during the daytime is that if you're not careful, you can cause a serious traffic accident on the Long Island Expressway. Percy and I had to keep Blackjack and Casablanca (my Pegasus) up in the clouds, which were, fortunately, pretty low in the winter. We darted around, trying to keep the white Camp Half-Blood van in sight. And if it was cold on the ground, it was seriously cold in the air, with icy rain stinging my skin.

We lost the van twice, but I had a pretty good sense that they would go into Manhattan first, so it wasn't too difficult to pick up their trail again.

Traffic was bad with the holidays and all. It was mid morning before they got into the city. We landed Blackjack and Casablanca near the top of the Chrysler Building and watched the white camp van, thinking it would pull into the bus station, but it just kept driving.

Theo: Where the hell is Argus taking them?

Casablanca neighed.

Percy: Which girl?

Blackjack neighed.

Percy: Zoe?

Blackjack neighed in response.

Theo: What about Zoe?

Percy: She's the one driving the van.

Theo: What?!

Meanwhile, the van kept snaking its way toward the Lincoln Tunnel. It had never even occurred to me that Zoe could drive. I mean, she didn't look sixteen. Then again, she was immortal. I wondered if she had a New York license, and if so, what her birth date said.

Theo: Screw it. Let's go after them.

We were about to leap off the Chrysler Building when Casablanca whinnied in alarm and

almost threw me. Something was curling around my leg like a snake. I reached for my sword, but when I looked down, there was no snake. Vines—grape vines—had sprouted from the cracks between the stones of the building. They were wrapping around Casablanca's and Blackjack's legs, lashing down mine and Percy's ankles so we couldn't move.

???: Going somewhere?

Mr. D was leaning against the building with his feet levitating in the air, his leopard-skin warm-up suit and black hair whipping around in the wind.

Blackjack and Casablanca whinnied in fear.

Mr. D: (sighs) The next person, or horse, who calls me the 'wine dude' will end up in a bottle of Merlot!

Percy: Mr. D. What do you want?

Mr. D: Oh, what do I want? You both thought, perhaps, that the immortal, all-powerful director of camp would not notice the two of you leaving without permission?

Theo: Yeah.

Mr. D: I should throw you both off this building, minus the flying horses, and see how heroic you sound on the way down. Would that show you how much bite I got, Keller?