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there was good news and bad news.
good news: it was a straight tunnel. we didn't have to waste time trying to turn corners.
bad news: it was also a dead end.
there was a giant boulder that completely blocked our path. behind us the sound of dragging footsteps and metal raking against metal grew louder. heavy, ragged breathing was heard. something — not human — was on our tail.
"tyson," percy said in fear, "can you—"
"yes!" tyson wasted no time. he slammed his shoulder against the rock so hard the whole tunnel shook. dust trickled from the stone ceiling.
"hurry!" grover said. "don't bring the roof down, but hurry!"
the boulder finally gave way with a horrible grinding noise, like a million gears that haven't been oiled in, ever. tyson pushed it into a small room and we dashed through behind it.
"close the entrance!" i instructed the rest of them.
we all got on the other side of the boulder and pushed. we pushed it back easily, and the corridor shut. whatever was chasing us wailed in frustration.
"we trapped it," percy said.
"or trapped ourselves," grover said.
i turned. "what are you..."
i trailed off. he was right.
we were in a twenty-foot-square cement room and the opposite wall was covered with metal bars. we'd tunneled straight into a cell.
once again, a vision sucked me back.
"you know it's illegal to lie on your enlistment form?" the darker haired boy said.
i still couldn't see his face, but he was the same boy — the girl's brother — from my last vision.
"are you trying to get yourself arrested?" the brunette girl from before was tilting another person's chin, checking for injuries.
