craving |PERCY JACKSON| [book 1] UNDER EDITING

XIII

THE FOUR OF THEM SCRUNCHED down into their seats. Behind Mrs. Dodds came two more old ladies: one in a green hat, one in a purple hat. Otherwise, they looked exactly like Mrs. Dodds. Same gnarled hands, paisley handbags, wrinkled velvet dresses. Triplet demon grandmothers.

They sat in the front row, right behind the driver. The two on the aisle crossed their legs over the walkway, making an X. It was casual enough, but it sent a clear message: nobody leaves.

The bus pulled out of the station, and they headed through the slick streets of Manhattan. "She didn't stay dead long," Percy commented, trying to keep his voice from quivering in fear, "I thought you said they could be dispelled for a lifetime."

"I said if you're lucky," Selena replied, "You're obviously not, Seaweed Brain."

"All three of them," Grover whimpered. "Di immortales!"

"It's okay," Annabeth tried to calm them, obviously thinking hard. "The Furies. The three worst monsters from the Underworld. No problem. No fucking problem. We'll just slip out the windows."

"They don't open," Grover moaned.

"A back exit?" she suggested.

There wasn't one. Even if there had been, it wouldn't have helped. By that time, they were on Ninth Avenue, heading for the Lincoln Tunnel.

"They won't attack us with witnesses around," Percy stated, "Will they?"

"Mortals don't have good eyes," Selena reminded him, "Their brains can only process what they see through the Mist."

"They'll see three old ladies killing us, won't they?"

She thought about it, "Hard to say. But we can't count on mortals for help. Maybe an emergency exit in the roof?"

The bus went into the Lincoln Tunnel, and the bus went dark except for the running lights down the aisle. It was eerily quiet without the sound of the rain.

Mrs. Dodds got up. In a flat voice, as if she'd rehearsed it, she announced to the whole bus, "I need to use the rest-room."

"So do I," said the second sister.

"So do I," the third sister added.

They all started coming down the aisle. Selena gulped nervously and reached for her dagger in her pocket, "I've got it, " Annabeth said. "Percy, take my hat."

"What?"

"You're the one they want. Turn invisible and go up the aisle. Let them pass you. Maybe you can get to the front and get away."