Heir of a Titan - Book 2 PJO

Chapter 40: I meet up for Diet Coke and Packman

We set up a two-block perimeter, with a command tent at the Empire State Building. Chiron informed us that the Party Ponies had sent chapters from almost every state in the Union: forty from California, two from Rhode Island, thirty from Illinois... Roughly five hundred total had answered his call, but even with that many, we couldn't defend more than a few blocks.

"Dude," said a centaur named Larry. His T-shirt identified him as BIG CHIEF UBER GUY, NEW MEXICO CHAPTER. I had to look to Raph for a translation. My eyes were so blurry I couldn't focus on his mouth and try figure it out. 

"He said, that was more fun than their last convention in Vegas! The other one, Owen from South Dakota, said we totally wasted them!" I nodded sleepily, this party pony wore a black leather jacket and an old WWII army helmet.

Chiron patted Owen on the back, and signed as he spoke for my benefit alone.  "You did well, my friends, but don't get careless. Kronos should never be underestimated. Now why don't you visit the diner on West 33rd and get some breakfast? I hear the Delaware chapter found a stash of root beer." 

"Root beer!" I didn't need a translation for that one. They almost trampled each other as they galloped off. I watched blurry eyed as they galloped away. I leaned into Raph for a second. He wrapped his strong arm around me, I had no idea how he was still standing, but he was and he was now almost holding me up. I finally turned my head taking a deep inhale, and looking back to Chiron and the others.

"Chiron, thanks," Annabeth was saying, she glanced over and started signing now that I was paying attention. "Talk about saving the day."

He shrugged also talking with his fluent ASL. "I'm sorry it took so long. Centaurs travel fast. We can bend distance as we ride. Even so, getting all the centaurs together was no easy task. The Party Ponies are not exactly organized."

"How'd you get through the magic defenses around the city?" Annabeth asked.

"They slowed us down a bit," Chiron admitted, "but I think they're intended mostly to keep mortals out. Kronos doesn't want puny humans getting in the way of his great victory."

"So maybe other reinforcements can get through," I said hopefully, still hoping Nico was working on Hades and Selina had convinced Clarisse.

Chiron stroked his beard thinking for a moment before he continued signing. "Perhaps, though time is short. As soon as Kronos regroups, he will attack again. Without the element of surprise on our side..."

I understood what he meant. Kronos wasn't beaten. Not by a long shot. I half hoped Kronos had been squashed under that Hyperborean giant's butt, but I knew better. He'd be back, tonight at the latest.

"And Typhon?" Percy asked.

Chiron's face darkened. "The gods are tiring. Dionysus was incapacitated yesterday. Typhon smashed his chariot, and the wine god went down somewhere in the Appalachians. No one has seen him since. Hephaestus is out of action as well. He was thrown from the battle so hard he created a new lake in West Virginia. He will heal, but not soon enough to help. The others still fight. They've managed to slow Typhon's approach. But the monster can not be stopped. He will arrive in New York by this time tomorrow. Once he and Kronos combine forces-"

"Then what chance do we have?" I asked bitterly. "We can't hold out another day." I glanced around at the street and around the Empire State building. Across the street, the Apollo campers had set up a field hospital to tend the wounded- dozens of campers and almost as many Hunters. I was watching the medics work for a second, I knew I needed to go help. But I felt so miserable right now, thinking about our slim chances for holding Mount Olympus...

I was elbowed making me pay attention again. Thalia was talking.

"We'll have to hold," Thalia said. "I'll see about setting some new traps around the perimeter."