Unclaimed [Percy Jackson]

ix. i fight violent grandmas

IT WAS EASY tempting the fates.

The moment Annabeth arrived with their snacks, it was like their nature of not being normal hit them in face.

Grover looked up when Annabeth began giving them their things. His nose twitched and he began sniffing the air.

Amelia looked grossed out, considering he neared his face close to hers. "Dude"

Grover leaned back, looking sheepish yet concerned, "Sorry"

Percy looked over his shoulder at them, squinting his eyes at them, "What is it, Grover?"

Grover hesitated for a second, glancing between Amelia and towards the aisle, "Nothing... I think"

But as he spoke, the demigods could tell he wasn't being truthful, their bodies tensing as the rest of the passengers climbed into the bus.

Annabeth began tapping her cap against her thigh, nervously. Suddenly she stopped, clasping her hand into Percy's knee, "Percy"

At the tone of her voice, her companions looked up, following her gaze.

An old lady who hadn't been there before boarded the bus. She wore a crumpled velvet dress, lace gloves and a shapeless orange-knit hat that shadowed her face, she was carrying a big paisley purse. When she tilted her head up, her black eyes glittered.

Amelia narrowed her eyes at Percy who scrunched down on his seat.

The old lady wasn't alone, behind her followed two more old ladies. One wore a green hat and the other a purple hat, the three old ladies looked exactly the same bar their hats. They looked like demon grandmothers.

The three of them sat in the front row, right behind the driver. The two on the aisle crossed their legs over the walkway, making an X. It was casual enough, but it sent a clear message: nobody leaves.

The bus pulled out of the resting stop, heading through the slick streets of Manhattan.

"She didn't stay dead long" Percy told them calmly but Amelia could notice that he looked nervous.

Ah. His math teacher. Percy had explained to her while waiting for the others to arrive how he pulverized his math teacher Mrs. Dodds with his ballpoint turned sword before he had any idea of who he was.

Mrs. Dodds who was one of the Kindly Ones. The demon grandma boarding the bus.

Percy glanced at Annabeth, "I thought you said they could be dispelled for a lifetime"

"I said if you're lucky" Annabeth said.

"Something we already established you're not" Amelia told him.

Percy gave her an unamused look.

"All three of them" Grover whimpered. "Di immortales!"

"It's okay" Annabeth said, thinking hard. "The Furies. The three worst monsters from the Underworld. No problem. No problem. We'll just slip out the window"

Amelia tugged at the window next to her, "They don't open"

Grover moaned in dismay. Amelia patted his shoulder, awkwardly.

"A back exit?" Annabeth suggested.

But there wasn't one. And even if there had been a back exit, it wouldn't have helped. By that time, they were on Ninth Avenue, heading for the Lincoln Tunnel.

"They won't attack us with witnesses around" Percy said, sounding hopeful "Will they?"

"Mortals don't have good eyes,” Annabeth reminded him. "Their brains can only process what they see through the Mist"