Twins of the Hunt - Book 3: The Rescue ??

1460 words

Raiden P.O.V.

We were traveling over the Potomac when Percy registered the helicopter, an elegant, ebony helicopter, similar to one the military used.

"You've gotta be kidding me," Orion growled. "That thing is following us. Lemme get out and burn it."

"No, Orion," Zoë said firmly. "As much as that would be helpful, it would only slow us down."

"Why is the General using mortals?" Percy gazed at the helicopter.

"Easy troops," I grunted. "Many of them will fight for money. There were several mercenaries when I was growing up and even more now."

"Where'd you grow up?"

I didn't answer. Percy studied me before comprehension flickered across his face.

"You grew up on the Princess Andromeda?" he whispered.

I grunted in response, praying for a distraction. Fortunately, Grover provided one. "Where are we supposed to go?"

"The parking lot!" Bianca pointed left. "Over there!"

I swerved across two traffic lanes and parked in a mall parking lot on the Potomac's southern bank. We jumped out of the van and trailed behind Bianca as she guided us down a few stairs.

"It's an entrance to the subway," Bianca explained. "Let's go south to Alexandria."

"I'll buy the tickets." Orion removed a credit card from his rucksack.

He proceeded over to the ticket booth and purchased seven tickets. We walked through the turnstiles and boarded the train. The helicopter emerged, searching for us as the train surfaced. Thankfully, it didn't pursue us.

Grover sighed. "Good idea, Bianca."

"Thanks." Bianca smiled. "It's been a while since Nico and I have been here. We came here last summer. I was kinda shocked that it was here because we never saw it as little kids when we lived here."

Orion frowned. "That doesn't sound right, Bianca. You're, what, twelve?" I'm forty, and this station was here when I was ten."

"You're forty?" Thalia said.

"Yes. Don't I look it?"

"I'm confused now. Earlier you were a boy, and now, you're an adult?"

"Yes. The gods gave me the gift of manipulating my age and appearance so I could care for my daughter. I can appear as a twelve-year-old boy and or my chronological age, which is forty right now."

We hurried off the train and onto two others. The only thought in our minds was to lose the helicopter, and we did eventually. At the end of the line, we only arrived at an industrial area with railway tracks, warehouses, and snow. So much snow. We meandered around for a long time, searching for another train to take west. Unfortunately, all we found were endless lines of freight cars.

There was a toothless and homeless man crouching around a trash can fire. He glanced over at us and called, "Y'all look pretty cold! Come and warm up!"

Grover, Thalia, Bianca, and Percy scrambled over and huddled around the fire. Orion, Zoë, and I stood back, unbothered by the cold. My bear skin coat I had gotten the previous winter blocked out most of the icy wind, while Orion warmed the air around him and Zoë.

I reached into my rucksack and removed a baggie of Ambrosia. I broke off a corner and chewed it, savoring the taste of my mom's brownies. My finger bones snapped back into place, and I shouldered my rucksack again.