a story as endless as the ocean . pjo / allie jackson

0.9 i destroy a national museum

0.9 I Help Destroy a National Museum This Time (Still a Felony) (Still Don't Do This, Kids)

I tore across the Mall, not daring to look behind me. I burst into the Air and Space Museum and raced through the admissions area.

The main part of the museum was one huge room with rockets and airplanes hanging from the ceiling. Three levels of balconies curled around, so you could look at the exhibits from all different heights. The place wasn't crowded, just a few families and a couple of tour groups of kids, probably doing one of those holiday school trips. I wanted to yell at them all to leave, but I figured that would only get me arrested or in the middle of a scandal and on the headlines of TMZ (and then, by default, trending on Twitter). I had to find Thalia and Grover and the Hunters. Any minute now, the Spartoi were going to invade the museum, and I didn't think they would settle for an audio tour.

I ran into Thalia— literally. I was barrelling up the ramp to the top-floor balcony and slammed into her, knocking her into an Apollo space capsule.

Grover yelped in surprise.

Before I could regain my balance, Zoe and Bianca had arrows notched, aimed at my chest. Their bows had just appeared out of nowhere.

When Zoe realized who I was, she reluctantly lowered her bow. "Why art thou running in such a manner?" she demanded. "Thy shall attract attention!"

"Annabeth," I said, trying to catch my breath. "I saw her. She's here."

The anger in Thalia's eyes at being knocked over immediately melted. She put her hand on her silver bracelet, glancing around anxiously. "Where?"

I told them what had happened at the Natural History Museum with Doctor Thorn, Annabeth, and the General.

"The General is here?" Zoe looked stunned. "That is impossible! You lie."

"Why would I lie? Look, there's no time to argue. Spartoi—"

"What?" Thalia demanded. "How many?"

"Twelve," I said. "And that's not all. That guy, the General, he said he was sending something, a 'playmate,' to distract you guys over here while they looked for me. Some sort of monster, but I don't know what."

Thalia and Grover exchanged looks.

"We found a trace of Artemis' trail while heading for the food court," Grover said. "And I can smell some powerful monster scent that I don't recognize... She must've stopped here looking for the mystery monster. But we haven't found anything yet."

"Zoe," Bianca's voice was nervous, "if it is the General—"

"It cannot be!" Zoe snapped. "Allie must have seen an Iris-message or some other kind of illusion."

"Illusions don't crack marble floors," I told her flatly. I wanted to fling my hands up in the air over how stupid we were being. The middle of a museum with lots of glass and mortals was a terrible place for a battle.

Zoe took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. I didn't know why she was taking it so personally, or how she knew the General, but I knew that now wasn't the time to ask. "If Allie is telling the truth about the skeleton warriors," she said, "we have no time to argue. They are the worst, the most horrible... We must leave now."

"Agreed," I nodded. "Let's go. We're in trouble if we end up fighting in here."

That was something that nobody could dispute. Temporarily setting aside our arguments, we began heading for the exit. We were too late.

As we reached the staircase, I heard a growl so loud that I almost thought one of the rocket engines was starting up.

Below us, a few adults screamed in terror. A little kid's voice screeched with delight: "Kitty!"