What is and what should never be

Chapter 9: We set off exploding Owls.

I raced after the Hunters while I kept keen eyes on everyone else who was heading for their station. I caught wind of just how silent Manhattan was without all the traffic, the only sounds I heard were the Occasional echo of Cell phones ringing like we the city had turned into the world's largest electronic aviator system. Suddenly I felt someone come up behind me and grabbed my wrist, it was Annabeth. "Dakota, come quick we need you!" Annabeth held me by the wrist and ran down broadway avenue zigzagging past all the parked cars, until we reached Madison square park and Annabeth pulled out her laptop from her shoulder bag. We had stopped in the middle of East 23rd, Annabeth dragged me towards the park, myself the whole time I was screaming "Where are we going?!" By the time I caught up with her, she was staring at a bronze statue on a red marble pedestal. I'd probably passed it a million times but never really looked at it. The dude was sitting in a chair with his legs crossed, dressed very old fashioned-Abraham Lincoln style-with a bow tie and coat tails. He held a writing quill in one hand and a long medal sheet of parchment in the other. I wrinkled my nose and peered over Annabeth's shoulder "why do we care so much about..." I squinted at the name on the pedestal, "William H Stuart?" "Seward," Annabeth corrected. I rolled my eyes, sometimes I couldn't believe I was related to this girl, the way she was a living breathing encyclopedia, and also a hopeless romantic. Annabeth raced up the steps to the pedestal, laptop in hand. "He was a minor New York governor, a son of Hebe, goddess of youth," I rolled my eyes once again, sometimes Annabeth gave too many details. She climbed up on a park bench and examined the base of the statue. "Don't tell me he's an Automaton," I said with disgust, "Turns out most of the statues in the city are Automatons, Daedalus planted them here just in case we need an Army," my eyes bugged out of my face. "To attack Olympus or destroy it?" I asked with actual concern, I hated automatons, they were aggressive, unpredictable and reckless. In fact it was Hephaestus's automaton Attack dog Talos, who cost Bianca her life. "Plan twenty-three. He could activate one statue and it would begin activating it's brethren all around the city, It's dangerous you should know that," I hated it when Annabeth spoke to me as if I was stupid, just because I didn't spend ninety percent of my life with my nose in a book didn't mean I was dumb. "Are you crazy? You're actually going to activate this thing?!" I exclaimed in anger, "I have Daedalus's notes," she said "I think I can... Ah, here we go." She pressed the tip of Seward's boot, and the statue stood up, quill and paper at the ready. "What's he going to do?" I sneered "take a memo?" Annabeth shushed me, "Greetings governor Seward," she sad with an elegant bow. I rolled my eyes, "activate command sequence: Daedalus Twenty-three. Defend Manhattan," I barely had time to blink before the Statue lept off it's pedestal and cracked the sidewalk with his Metal boots, I had never been more startled in my Life, as the statue stood up straight and tall, ready for orders, as Annabeth barked orders at him in Ancient Greek. The statue went clanking off towards the east, cracking the sidewalk in the process. I turned to Annabeth and smiled and said something I never thought I would've said to her, "you're a genius!" I smiled. Annabeth tore off after her siblings from the Athena cabin, whilst I stood next to the empty pedestal and drummed the toe of my boot against the sidewalk until I heard a loud "Caw!" From right above me. I looked straight up in surprise to see the strangest assortment of birds, a gold, black and grey falcon, an Egyptian kite, a large eagle and a raven. I suddenly realized who I was looking at, I had instructed all our best shapeshifters to transform into birds of prey to scout ahead. I could recognize Carter and Sadie Kane, and Frank but I couldn't place the others. Carter landed in a regal-like stance and bowed to me, "my lady, " he said formally, "Have you heard anything?" I asked in a concerned tone, "the rest of camp has all available entrances and exits blocked, but the Apollo cabin needs reinforcements." I nodded in understanding ''but you have to hurry, the monster leading the army. It's not exactly pretty, " we both tore off.