Unclaimed [Percy Jackson]

xii. a chihuahua wants to eat us

THEY spent two days on the Amtrak train, heading west through hills, over rivers, past amber waves of grain.

They weren't attacked once, but that didn't mean Amelia trusted that they wouldn't. If she was being honest, she thought this period was the calm before the storm.

Maybe Zeus was waiting for them to lower their guard to strike them down with a epiphany of monsters when they less expected it.

She wouldn't put it past him.

Percy had been trying to keep a low profile after his name and picture got splattered over the front pages of several East Coast newspapers.

The Trenton RegisterNews showed a photo taken by a tourist as they got off the Greyhound bus. Percy had a wild look in his eyes. His sword was a metallic blur in his hands. It might've been a baseball bat or a lacrosse stick.

Amelia was simply glad only her side profile appeared behind him in the photo and not her face entirely. She wasn't sure if she wanted to be known, in case her remaining alive mortal family was looking for her. She didn't want to think about that, not yet.

But Percy himself wasn't lucky. The picture's capture of him read:

'Twelve-year-old Percy Jackson, wanted for questioning in the Long Island disappearance of his mother two weeks ago, is shown here fleeing from the bus where he accosted several elderly female passengers. The bus exploded on an east New Jersey roadside shortly after Jackson fled the scene.

Based on eyewitness accounts, police believe the boy may be traveling with three teenage accomplices. His stepfather, Gabe Ugliano, has offered a cash reward for information leading to his capture.'

"Don't worry" Annabeth had told him. "Mortal police could never find us"

But even Amelia noticed she didn't sound so sure.

While Amelia spent the rest of the day staring through the window, Percy spent it alternatively pacing the length of the train or joining Amelia into looking out the windows.

Amelia dozed off half the time, resting her head on the window. Falling asleep was something easy for her to do, yet remain asleep was another thing. She opened her eyes when she felt the train slowing a stop, considering their reward money for returning Gladiola the poodle had only been enough to purchase tickets as far as Denver.

They couldn't get berths in the sleeper car, so they dozed in their seats, something Amelia had no trouble into doing. It even came to a point where she accidentally let her head fall on Annabeth's shoulder. The blonde didn't push her away though, simply getting comfortable so Amelia would nap.

Annabeth theorized that the reason why Amelia fell asleep so easily was because of the lack of shadows and the light sucking out half of her energy from her and she had to regain strength somehow, hence why she didn't mind Amelia using her as a pillow when she needed to.

She never realized when she did it but at one point, Amelia cracked slowly her eyes, noticing she was laying across the seat, her head on someone's lap.

Amelia was a bit confused yet she made no movement to let anyone know she was awake.

The voices speaking above her were low enough to not disturb anyone's sleep.

What woke her up though was Grover snorting on his sleep, murmuring something about vegetables. Typical Grover.

Amelia felt her pillow move before she noticed an arm above her reaching out to Grover to readjust his cap to cover his horns.

It was Annabeth. "Percy, you can't barter with Hades. You know that, right?" her voice was a whisper. It seems like she and Percy were in the middle of a long going conversation. They didn't seem to be in any sort of agreement. Amelia didn't find that surprising, considering how they've been doing in the quest so far, "He's deceitful, heartless, and greedy. I don't care if his Kindly Ones weren't as aggressive this time-"