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I 09. I
𝑪𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑪𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒐𝒓𝒔
❝ homeless man ❞
THEY WERE CROSSING THE POTOMAC. But as they did, they spotted the helicopter behind them. A sleek, black military model just like the one at Westover Hall. And it was heading straight for them.
"They know the van," Percy said. "We have to ditch it."
Zoe swerved into the fast lane. The helicopter was gaining on them.
"Maybe the military will shoot it down," Grover said hopefully.
"The military probably thinks it's one of theirs," Percy said. "How can the General use mortals, anyway?"
"Mercenaries," Zoe said bitterly. "It is distasteful, but many mortals will fight for any cause as long as they are paid."
"But don't these mortals see who they're working with?" Percy asked.
Zoe shook her head. "I don't know how much they see through the Mist. I doubt it would matter to them if they knew the truth. Sometimes mortals can be more horrible than monsters."
The helicopter kept coming, making a lot better time than they were through the D.C. traffic.
Thalia closed her eyes and prayed hard. "Hey, Dad. A lightning bolt would be nice about now. Please?"
No thunderstorm in sight. The sky was only gray and snowy.
"There!" Bianca said. "That parking lot!"
"We'll be trapped," Zoe said.
"Trust me," Bianca said.
Zoe shot across the two lanes of traffic and into a mall parking lot on the south bank of the river. They left the van and followed Bianca down a few steps.
"Subway entrance," she said. "Let's go south. Alexandria."
"Anything," Thalia agreed.
They bought tickets and got through the turnstiles, looking behind them for anyone who was in pursuit. A few tedious minutes later ( which Ariadne passed by rather quickly by huddling with Percy and playing with his hand. It brought a strange sense of comfort for her ) and they were safely aboard a southbound train, riding away from D.C.
As their train came above ground, they could see the helicopter circling the parking lot, but it didn't go after them.
Grover sighed, "Nice job, Bianca, thinking of the subway."
She looked pleased. "Yeah, well. I saw that station when Nico and I came through last summer. I remember being really surprised by it, because it wasn't there when we used to live in D.C.
