𝐞𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐜 ➵ 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐲 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬𝐨𝐧

: ̗̀➛𝐓𝐄𝐍 ice cream sandwiches saved the day?

edited

┌── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──┐

A few people gave Devi odd looks to why she was sprinting in pajamas, but she didn't care. She let her arm hang in Percy's hold as he dragged her across the mall, not daring to look behind them. They burst into the Air and Space Museum and took a breather in the admissions area.

The main part of the museum was in a 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 in matching t-shirts, probably doing one of those holiday school trips. Devi wanted to tell them to run away before a bunch of skeleton men run in and invade the museum, but she doubted anyone would listen and she'd probably get the cops called on her.

"We have to find Thalia and Grover and the Hunters. Any minute those skeleton dudes could run in." Devi said to Percy who took her wrist again and started running again up the ramp to the top-floor balcony. "Those things could be here any second."

"I think they're-" Percy slammed into Thalia, knocking her into an Apollo space capsule. Not noticing Percy's sudden stop, Devi ran into his back, sending Percy sprawling across the floor. She quickly caught herself so she wouldn't land on him.

Grover yelped in surprise.

Devi let out a laugh before she realized Zoe and Bianca had their arrows notched. Zoe aimed at Devi's head and Bianca aimed for Percy's back. Their bows had just appeared out of nowhere. Devi wanted to ask them how to do that later because every time she reached for her bow it was obvious that she was going to attack since she had to reach for her bracelet.

"Woah! Don't shoot!" Devi held her hands up. "It's us."

When the hunters realized who they were, Zoe held her bow even tighter. "How dare you show thy faces here?" Her words aimed mostly at Percy.

"Percy! Devi!" Grover said, picking the boy up off the ground. "Thank goodness!"

Zoe glared at him, and he blushed. "I mean, um, gosh. You guys are not supposed to be here!"

Devi huffed, trying catch her breath. "Oh for fuck's sake. We have to run."

"Why, what happened?" Thalia asked.

"Luke," Percy gasped, still tired from the running. "He's here."

The anger in Thalia's eyes melted immediately. She put a hand on her silver bracelet. "Where?"

The two demigods filled them in about the Natural History Museum, Dr Thorn, Luke, and the General, talking over each other. Their urgency made Zoe loose the skepticism in her voice.

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

"Why would we be lying? You think we wanted to sprint across the museum for fun? We have no time, we have to get out." Devi snapped. "Skeleton warriors-"

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

"Twelve," Percy said. "And that's not all. The General dude, said he was sending something, a 'playmate', to distract you over here. A monster."

Thalia and Grover exchanged looks.

"We were following Artemis's trail," Grover said. "I was pretty sure it led here. Some powerful monster scent...She must've stopped here looking for the mystery monster. But we haven't found anything yet."

"I doubt it's the mystery monster." Devi scrunched her eyebrows. There was no way Artemis would've found it this fast. It doesn't seem right for a mission to be that easy. "It couldn't have been this easy. The General probably sent some other monster."