Sunburn- phoebus apollo

--ii. the vice principal gets a missile launcher

RHEA DIDN'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF MONSTER Dr. Thorn was, but he was fast.

She tried to think of a plan but it was useless. Her brain wouldn't work. She wished Annabeth were here. Her necklace was back on her neck, but it wasn't as if she could yank it off; it'll be too dangerous. 

Percy closed his eyes, stopping in the middle of the hallway.

"What are you doing, Jackson?" Dr. Thorn hissed. "Keep moving!"

Percy opened his eyes and kept shuffling forward. "It's my shoulder," he said, though Rhea didn't buy it. "It burns."

"Bah! My poison causes pain. It will not kill you. Walk!"

Thorn inarched them into the woods. They took a snowy path dimly lit by old-fashioned lamplights. The wind blowing was so cold that it made Rhea feel like an icicle. 

"There is a clearing ahead," Dr. Thorn said. "We will summon your ride."

"What ride?" Bianca demanded. "Where are you taking us?"

"Silence, you insufferable girl!"

"Don't talk to my sister that way!" Nico said. His voice quivered, but Rhea was impressed that he had the guts to say anything at all.

Dr. Thorn made a growling sound that definitely wasn't human. It made Rhea shiver, but she forced herself to keep walking and pretend she was being a good little captive. 

"Halt," Thorn said.

The woods had opened up. They'd reached a cliff overlooking the sea. At least, Rhea sensed the sea was down there, hundreds of feet below. She could hear the waves churning and she could smell the cold salty froth. But all Rhea could see was mist and darkness.

Dr. Thorn pushed them toward the ledge. Rhea stumbled, and Bianca caught her.

"Thanks," she murmured.

"What is he?" Bianca whispered. "How do we fight him?"

"I....I'm working on it."

"I'm scared," Nico mumbled. He was fiddling with something--a little metal toy soldier of some kind. Rhea thought he looked familiar, though she couldn't exactly pin-point where she saw him.

"Stop talking!" Dr. Thorn said. "Face me!"

They turned.

Thorn's two-toned eyes glittered hungrily. He pulled something from under his coat. At first Rhea thought it was a switchblade, but it was only a phone. He pressed the side button and said, "The package--it is ready to deliver."

There was a garbled reply, and Rhea realized Thorn was in walkie-talkie mode. This seemed way too modern and creepy--a monster using a mobile phone.

Rhea glanced behind her, wondering how far the drop was. Percy did the same.

Dr. Thorn laughed. "By all means, children of Poseidon. Jump! There is the sea. Save yourselves."

"What did he call you guys?" Bianca muttered.

"We'll explain later." Percy said.

"You guys do have a plan, right?" 

Neither of them answered.

Maybe they could get both the di Angelos to jump with her and Percy into the ocean. If they survived the fall, maybe they could use the water to protect them. Rhea has done things like that before. If her dad was in a good mood, and listening, he might help. Maybe.

"I would kill you before you ever reached the water," Dr. Thorn said, as if reading their thoughts. "You do not realize who I am, do you?"

A flicker of movement behind him, and another missile whistled so close to Rhea that it nicked her ear. Something had sprung up behind Dr. Thorn--like a catapult, but more flexible.... almost like a tail.