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Percy didn't buy Blackjack donuts in New Jersey. Zoe drove south like a crazy person, and they were into Maryland before Zoe finally pulled over at a rest stop. Blackjack darn near tumbled out of the sky, he was so tired.
I'll be okay, boss, he panted. Just... just catching my breath.
"Stay here," He told him. "I'm going to scout."
'Stay here' I can handle. I can do that.
He put on the cap of invisibility and walked over to the convenience store. It was difficult not to sneak. He had to keep reminding himself that nobody could see him. It was hard, too, because he had to remember to get out of people's way so they wouldn't slam into him.
Percy thought he'd go inside and warm up, maybe get a cup of hot chocolate or something. He had a little change in his pocket. He could leave it on the counter. He was wondering if the cup would turn invisible when he picked it up, or if he'd have to deal with a floating hot chocolate problem, when his whole plan was ruined by Thalia, Bianca, and Grover all coming out of the store. Astoria was following close behind them with Zoe next to her, sipping a drink from a cup in her gloved hands.
"And you did this with acorns?" Bianca asked, like she couldn't believe it.
Grover looked offended. "It's a time-honored tracking spell. I mean, I'm pretty sure I did it right."
"D.C. is about sixty miles from here," Bianca said. "Nico and I..." She frowned. "We used to live there. That's... that's strange. I'd forgotten."
"I dislike this," Zoe said. "We should go straight west. The prophecy said west."
"Oh, like your tracking skills are better?" Thalia growled.
Zoe stepped toward her. "You challenge my skills, you scullion? You know nothing of being a Hunter!"
"Oh, scullion You're calling me a scullion? What the heck is a scullion?"
"Whoa, you two," Astoria got between them. "Come on. Not again!"
"Astoria's right," Bianca said. "D.C. is our best bet."
Zoe didn't look convinced, but she nodded reluctantly. "Very well. Let us keep moving."
"You're going to get us arrested, driving," Thalia grumbled. "I look closer to sixteen than you do."
"Perhaps," Zoe snapped. "But I have been driving since automobiles were invented. Let us go."
As Blackjack and Percy continued south, following the van, he wondered whether Zoe had been kidding. He didn't know exactly when cars were invented, but he figured that was like prehistoric times-back when people watched black-and-white TV and hunted dinosaurs. How old was Zoe? And what had Mr. D been talking about? What bad experience had she had with heroes?
