Daughter of Poseidon •{Nico di Angelo}• [UNDER CONSTRUCTION]

Chapter 21: TROUBLE ON THE HIGHWAY

We went to my hotel room and we stayed there talking for the rest of the day, discussing plans and strategies for tracking Mimas.

Around 6 p.m. Nico went to a restaurant and got some food to eat. Protein bars may be good, but you can't eat them all the time.

We all ate and then Leo and Nico went to their rooms. It was only 8 p.m. but we were all exhausted from our little skirmish with Clytius earlier.

The next morning, the others sent me to get breakfast. I went to McDonalds, I had to get Nico a Happy Meal, and got some food, complete with hot chocolate and coffee.

After breakfast, we packed up all of our stuff and checked out of the hotel. We got on 33 again and slowly made our way to Minnesota.

After driving for about an hour, I noticed something weird about the van beside us. The side of it said "Monster Doughnut" and had a picture of a hydra with donuts painted on the side. I also realized that the van had been at our hotel and had been right beside us the whole time we had been on the highway.

I gently nudged Nico. "Look at that van beside us. It's been driving next to us the entire time we've been on the highway. I even saw it at the hotel's parking lot. I think it's suspicious."

Nico glanced over at the van. "Monster Donut..." he muttered under his breath. "Maybe we can lose them in traffic." The car slowed down to 55 miles per hour, and the van did the same. The car sped up to 70 miles per hour, and the van did the same.

"What the heck are you doing Nico?"

"Yeah, why are you slowing down and speeding up?"

Nico ignored the questions and turned slightly to face me. "I think you're right. I think they're following us."

"Who? Who's following us?"

"What?"

I pointed to the van. "Them. That van is following us."

"Monster Donut...you don't suppose there could be monsters in that van, do you?" Leo asked.

I was just about to answer when the van slammed into the side of the car. I heard someone cry out in pain and the car was pushed off the road. It started to roll a little and I grabbed my seat and clenched my teeth.

By the time we stopped rolling, we were at least twenty yards away from the highway. The van had drove off the road and was parked ten feet away from the car. I saw some monsters climb out, and I tried desperately to climb out of the car. But I couldn't. And the fact that the car was flipped on its roof wasn't helping me at a all.

My leg was pinned between the door and my seat. I could feel blood soaking my jeans. "Nico? Leo? Natasha? Are you guys ok?"

"I'm fine, sweetie. And so is your boyfriend." I looked up and saw Natasha standing over me with a smirk on her face. "Thanks for your concern."

"Sofia! Sofia! Let her g-" Nico's cries were cut off as a monster clubbed him over the head. He fell to the ground. He managed to pick himself off his face, but he couldn't stand up. A monster came over and bound his hands and feet and gagged him.

I screamed. "Nico!" I began shaking all over, desperately trying to free myself. I tried to pull my leg out from between the metal, but it was stuck. I knew that I shouldn't be moving, but I had to help Nico.

"Natasha! Help me! Don't let them take him!" I pleaded with Natasha.

She laughed. "Ok! Here, let me help you!" She kicked my side, and I yelped in pain. She kicked me again and again. Nico was thrashing in his bonds, trying to get loose.

Finally, Natasha stopped kicking me. I grabbed my side and winced in pain. She crouched down beside me.

"I'm sorry sweetie. I never wanted to act like you were my sister. You see, you're not. My dad isn't Poseidon. My dad is Phorcys." Natasha gave me an evil grin. "Oh, and don't worry about your boyfriend. I'll take good care of him."

She laughed again and leaned towards me. She whispered in my ear. "I'll be seeing you again soon, especially if you want your sister back." My eyes widened in surprise and shock.

Natasha stood up and turned to the monsters. "Come on. Take the boy and put him in the van. We need to leave. Now." The monsters nodded. They grabbed Nico and threw him into the back of the van. They climbed in after him and Natasha got in too.

"NICO!!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. I could feel tears streaming down my face. The van drove away. I heard someone groan behind me.

"Leo? Leo are you ok? Leo!?"

"Sofia?"

I twisted around and saw Leo laying down in the back seat. He looked perfectly fine other than a few scratches.

"Leo! Help me please! My leg, it's stuck! I can't get out!" I could hear the panic in my voice. I was scared, angry, sore, bleeding, and worried.

"Just a minute." I could hear Leo banging on something and the sound of glass shattering. A couple seconds later, he crawled out from the car and came over to me.

"Sofia..." He tore off part of his shirt and wiped the blood off my face. "Ok, I'm gonna try and get your leg out, but it's gonna hurt. A lot. Ready?"

I clenched my teeth and nodded.

"Ok...1...2...3!" Leo grabbed the door and began yanking on it. The metal started to loosen on my leg and I could see a huge gash on my leg that was bleeding like crazy. "Ok, pull your leg out! Now!"

I gave a sharp tug on my leg, and even though I had my teeth clenched, I still couldn't stifle a cry of pain. But I got my leg out right before Leo lost his grip on the metal.

As soon as he lost his grip on the metal, he stood up and dashed to the back of the car and managed to open the trunk. He ripped open a bag and grabbed nectar, ambrosia, and lots of clothes. He came back to me and began wrapping my leg with the clothes. He paused briefly to hand me some nectar and ambrosia, which I gratefully accepted, and continued to wrap my leg.

After a minute, the effects of the ambrosia began to kick in and my leg stopped bleeding. "Thanks."

"It's what you would have done for me." Leo leaned back against the car.

"So now what? We have no vehicle, I'm injured really bad, Natasha took Nico, and she's working with monsters! I hate this!" I slammed my fist down on the ground and I saw a column of water shoot up at the rest area about 500 yards away.

"We need to find them. Maybe we can save Nico and stop Natasha at the same time with no problems. But first, your leg needs to heal."

I glanced down at my leg and saw it was almost completely healed. "If that's the case, then we are going to be tracking them down sooner then expected. My leg is almost healed already!" I stood up and almost fell down but I leaned against the car for support. "Let's go to the rest stop."

I took a step and almost fell on my face. Leo grabbed my arm and put it around his shoulder. "Come one. Let me help." Together, with much help from Leo, we headed towards the rest stop, silently planning what to do next.

THE END (for now)