The bus stops. Confused I check my watch. Odd. It's only 1:00. It should be at least another few hours until we make it to Denver.
The other three must be thinking the same thing because they look at me with the same confused expressions. We all also seem to come to the same conclusion. Monsters.
The window shatters. I see a rock fall to the ground amidst the glass shards. People scream. I'm just plain confused. What kind of monster attack is this?
The doors open. Shapes come into view. People with masks. Everyone screams again. They can see them too.
"I get the feeling those aren't monsters," I whisper.
Percy nods. "I don't think so either. It looks like we just ended up in the middle of something more human." He pulls out riptide. "Just in case."
Before any of us can plan something, Luna jumps up and starts making her way to the people in the masks. Ugh, Romans. I get up and follow her, Percy and Annabeth on my heels.
Luna stops in front of what appears to be the leader and crosses her arms. "Are you just going to stand there?"
The leader just laughs. "You're very brave."
None of us are expecting it, but suddenly the leader produces a knife and lunges for Luna. She throws up her arm and the knife only cuts her arm. She then throws a punch at the leader and hits him in the jaw.
It all happens in a split second, and I'm so shocked I can't move. When I see that Luna's arm is bleeding, I rush over to her.
"Are you okay?" I ask.
Luna nods. "I'll be fine."
I reach into my backpack and pull out a roll of gauze. I have no clue what I'm doing, but I wrap the gauze around her arm and hope the bleeding stops. I give her a piece of ambrosia. A minute later she looks ready to fight.
The leader begins laughing. I have no clue why. Nothing is funny. This is just a weird day. Despite the situation, I feel a smile creep in. He doesn't know the truth about us. We've faced far worse. "You just messed with the wrong people."
"Oh I know exactly who you are," he says.
I don't have time to ponder this because he lunges for me, and I duck. I come back up, fist ready. The leader seems a little surprised, but comes at me again. I manage to duck and dodge his blade, not entirely sure where the skill is coming from.
It feels good. It feels like raw power surging through me, giving me the strength to face anything. I don't even have to think; I dodge and duck and punch, letting the power guide me.
Then it ends. The power leaves me, and I feel so exhausted. I stumble backwards. Some of the masked figures are lying on the ground, unconscious, but the leader is still standing.
"Uh, I don't know what to do," Annabeth whispers.
"Why not?" I whisper back.
"Usually the things we get involved in are monster related. I don't know how to deal with people."
I can't believe we could handle the worst monsters, but a bunch of possibly regular people left us clueless. I wish I had the power back, but it seems it's gone for now.
Percy turns his sword back into a pen and puts it away. "Riptide won't help us. Celestial bronze can't harm mortals, no matter how monsterous they are."
No one is doing anything. The enemy is standing at the front of the bus. We're facing them, having our whispered conversation. The other few people on the bus are becoming disinterested in the situation.
"Maybe we could try talking to them," Luna suggests.
"Do you think that would do anything?" I question, doubting the success of her plan.
She shrugs. "Let's find out." She faces the leader, making eye contact, and says, "Would you be so kind as to explain why you are here?"
I don't expect an answer, but I get one. "We want him."
At first I think they're talking about me, but then I travel the direction of his pointing finger. It's pointed straight at Percy.
A/N I ran out of monsters to use so I decided to do something a bit more human. Of course at first I had no idea what I was doing, but then I figured it out and related it to what's going on and what I have planned for later.
