Published: 11/26/22

Edited: N/A
'•'

     We drove for at least three hours, heading south out of New York and through New Jersey. The van was mostly quiet the entire time (excluding Grover, whose incessant chattering made Zoe's eye twitch and Bianca look more than a little frightened) and I spent most of the ride searching the sky for any sign of Blackjack and Percy.

Zoe drove south like a crazy person, and we were into Maryland before she finally pulled over at a rest stop. We all clambered out of the van to buy some snacks at the convenience store while Zoe filled up the van with gas.

Bianca and I grabbed as many chips as we could pay for and then a few slushies. Meanwhile Thalia and Grover set up a tracking spell with acorns to find Artemis.

Once we were all checked out and ready to load back into the van, we headed outside.

"We need to head to Washington DC." Grover said as Thalia reached for the door handle.

"Grover, are you sure?" Thalia asked, holding the door for Bianca and I.

"Well... pretty sure. Ninety-nine percent. Okay, eighty-five percent."

"And you did this with acorns?" Bianca asked, like she couldn't believe it.

Grover looked offended. "It's a time-honored tracking spell. I mean, I'm pretty sure I did it right."

"D.C. is about sixty miles from here," Bianca noted. "Nico and I..." She frowned. "We used to live there. That's... that's strange. I'd forgotten."

"I dislike this," Zoe snapped. "We should go straight west. The prophecy said west."

"Oh, like your tracking skills are better?" Thalia growled.

Zoe stepped toward her. "You challenge my skills, you scullion? You know nothing of being a Hunter!"

"Oh, scullion? You're calling me a scullion? What the heck is a scullion?"

"Whoa, you two," Grover warned, sounding nervous.

I sighed in exasperation. "Come on. Not again!"

"Grover's right," Bianca intervened. "D.C. is our best bet."

Zoe didn't look convinced, but she nodded reluctantly. "Very well. Let us keep moving."

"You're going to get us arrested, driving," Thalia grumbled. "I look closer to sixteen than you do."

"Perhaps," Zoe snapped. "But I have been driving since automobiles were invented. Let us go."

We all piled back into the car and drove for another thirty minutes. I layed my head on Bianca's shoulder and closed my eyes, trying to sleep. Grover ruined it by shouting at Zoe to pull over.

Zoe jerked the steering wheel and we slid into a pay-for-parking section on the side of the street.

Everybody got out, stretching and (in my case) yawning. Grover pointed toward one of the big buildings lining the Mall nearby.

"There!" He told us excitedly. Thalia nodded, and the five of us trudged off into the cold wind.

Finally, Grover stopped us in front of a big building that said NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM. The Smithsonian! I'd always wanted to come here!

Thalia checked the door. It was open, but there weren't many people going in. Too cold, and school was out of session.

We slipped inside. The main part of the museum was one huge room with rockets and airplanes hanging
from the ceiling. Three levels of balconies curled around, so you could look at the exhibits from all different heights. The place wasn't crowded, just a few families and a couple of tour groups of kids, probably doing one of those holiday school trips. We started up the stairs and started searching for any sign of Artemis.

'•'

We were just heading up to the final level when we ran into Percy—literally. He was barreling up the ramp to the top-floor balcony and slammed into Thalia, knocking her into an Apollo space capsule.

Grover yelped in surprise.

Before Percy could regain his balance, Zoe and Bianca had arrows notched, aimed at Percy's chest. Their bows had just appeared out of nowhere.

"Whoa-" I intervened. "Please don't shoot my brother!"

When Zoe realized who it was, she didn't seem anxious to lower her bow. "You! How dare you show thy face here?"

"Percy!" Grover sighed. "Thank goodness."

Zoe glared at him, and he blushed. "I mean, um, gosh. You're not supposed to be here!"

"Luke," Percy gasped, trying to catch his breath. "He's here."

The anger in Thalia's eyes immediately melted. She put her hand on her silver bracelet. I stiffened and reached for Percy's hand.

"Where?" I gasped.

Percy told us about going into the Natural History Museum, and how he had overheard Dr. Thorn, Luke, and someone called the General plotting something.

"The General is here?" Zoe looked stunned. "That is impossible! You lie."

"Why would I lie? Look, there's no time. Skeleton warriors—"

"What?" Thalia demanded. "How many?"

"Twelve," Percy said. "And that's not all. That guy, the General, he said he was sending something, a 'playmate,' to distract you over here. A monster."

Thalia and Grover exchanged looks. "We were following Artemis's trail," Grover said. "I was pretty sure it led here. Some powerful monster scent... She must've stopped here looking for the mystery monster. But we haven't found anything yet."

"Zoe," Bianca said nervously, "if it is the General—"

"It cannot be!" Zoe snapped. "Percy must have seen an Iris-message or some other illusion."

"Illusions don't crack marble floors," Percy told her waspishly.

Zoe took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. I didn't know why she was taking it so personally, or how she knew this General guy, but I figured now wasn't the time to ask.

"If Percy is telling the truth about the skeleton warriors," she said, "we have no time to argue. They are the worst, the most horrible... We must leave now."

"Good idea," Percy nodded.

"I was not including thee, boy," Zoe snapped. "You are not part of this quest."

"Hey, I'm trying to save your lives!"

"You shouldn't have come, Percy," Thalia said grimly.

"But he's here now. Come on. Let's get back to the van." I commanded, pulling Percy close to me.

"That is not thy decision!" Zoe snapped.

Thalia scowled at her. "You're not the boss here, Zoe. I don't care how old you are! You're still a conceited little brat!"

"You never had any wisdom when it came to boys," Zoe growled. "You never could leave them behind!"

Thalia looked like she was about to hit Zoe. Then everyone froze, I heard a growl so loud I thought one of the rocket engines was starting up. Below us, a few adults screamed. A little kid's voice screeched with delight: "Kitty!"

Something enormous bounded up the ramp. It was the size of a pick-up truck, with silver claws and golden glittering fur. I'd seen this monster once before. Two years ago, I'd glimpsed it briefly from a train. Now, up close and personal, it looked even bigger.

"The Nemean Lion," Thalia whispered. "Don't move."

The lion roared so loud it fanned my hair out like I was underwater. Its fangs gleamed like stainless steel.

"Separate on my mark," Zoe commanded. "Try to keep it distracted."

"Until when?" Grover asked.

"Until I think of a way to kill it. Go!"

I clicked Whirlpool and rolled to the left. Arrows whistled past me, and Grover played a sharp tweet-tweet cadence on his reed pipes. Percy dropped to the ground and slid to the right.

I turned and saw Zoe and Bianca climbing the Apollo capsule. They were firing arrows, one after another, all shattering harmlessly against the lions metallic fur. The lion swiped the capsule and tipped it on its side, spilling the Hunters off the back.

Grover played a frantic, horrible tune, and the lion turned toward him, but Thalia stepped into its path, holding up Aegis, and the lion recoiled. "ROOOAAAR!"

"Hi-yah!" Thalia yelled. "Back!" The lion growled and clawed the air, but it retreated as if the shield were a blazing fire.

For a second, I thought Thalia had it under control. Then I saw the lion crouching, its leg muscles tensing. I knew the lion was going to pounce.

"Hey!" Percy yelled. I don't know what he was thinking, but he charged the beast. I just wanted to get it away from us.

Percy slashed with Riptide, a good strike to the flank that should've cut the monster into Meow Mix, but the blade just clanged against its fur in a burst of sparks.

The lion raked at Percy with its claws, ripping off a chunk of his coat. Percy  backed against the railing.

"Hey Kitty!" I shouted, my sword clanging off of it's invincible leg..

It sprang at me, one thousand pounds of monster, and I had no choice but to turn and jump.

I landed next to my brother on the wing of an old-fashioned silver airplane, which pitched and almost spilled us to the floor, three stories below.

An arrow whizzed past my head. The lion jumped onto the aircraft, and the cords holding the plane began to groan.

The lion swiped at me, and I dropped onto the next exhibit, a weird-looking spacecraft with blades like a helicopter. I looked up and saw the lion roar at Percy—inside its maw, a pink tongue and throat.

Its mouth, I thought. Its fur is completely invulnerable, but if we can strike it in the mouth...

Percy must have been listening up, because his voice sounded in my head. The only problem is, the monster moves too quickly. Between its claws and fangs, I can't get close without getting sliced to pieces.

"Zoe!" I shouted. "Target the mouth!"

The monster lunged at Percy. An arrow zipped past it, missing completely, and Percy dropped from the airplane and onto the spacecraft next to me.

I looked up and saw the massive cat preparing to leap again.

"Son of a fuck-" I swore, grabbing Percy by the arm. The lion soared throw the air,, landing on the opposite end of the spaceship's wing and sending it tilting wildly.

Counting on the momentum of the swing, I threw myself off of the hanging ship, dragging my brother with me.

We crashed into the top of a floor exhibit, a huge model of the earth. I slid down Russia and dropped off the equator.

The Nemean Lion growled and steadied itself on the spacecraft, but its weight was too much. One of the cords snapped. As the display swung down like a pendulum, the lion leaped
off onto the model earth's North Pole.

"Grover!" Percy yelled, dragging me forward. "Clear the area!" Groups of kids were running around screaming. Grover tried to corral them away from the monster just as the other cord on the spaceship snapped and the exhibit crashed to the floor.

Thalia dropped off the second-floor railing and landed across from Percy and I, on the other side of the globe. The lion regarded us all, trying to decide which of us to kill first.

Zoe and Bianca were above us, bows ready, but they kept having to move around to get a good angle.

"No clear shot!" Zoe yelled. "Get it to open its mouth more!"

The lion snarled from the top of the globe. Percy looked wildly around as I kept my eyes fixed on the big cat.

"Thalia," Percy said, "keep it occupied."

She nodded grimly. "Hi-yah!" She pointed her spear and a spidery arc of blue electricity shot out, zapping the lion in the tail.

"ROOOOOOOAR!" The lion turned and pounced. Thalia rolled out of its way, holding up Aegis to keep the monster at bay, and Percy ran for the gift shop, yanking me along.

"This is no time for souvenirs, boy!" Zoe yelled.

We dashed into the shop, knocking over rows of T-shirts, jumping over tables full of glowin-the-dark planets and space ooze. The sales lady didn't protest. She was too busy cowering
behind her cash register.

"What are we looking for?!" I shouted, turning in a circle. Percy leapt over another table.

"There!" On the far wall—glittery silver packets. Whole racks of them. Percy started to grab a bunch. I scooped up every kind I could find and we ran out of the shop with armfuls.

Zoe and Bianca were still showering arrows on the monster, but it was no good. The lion seemed to know better than to open its mouth too much. It snapped at Thalia, slashing with its claws. It even kept its eyes narrowed to tiny slits.

Thalia jabbed at the monster and backed up. The lion pressed her. "Percy," she called, "whatever you're going to do—"

The lion roared and swatted her like a cat toy, sending her flying into the side of a Titan rocket. Her head hit the metal and she slid to the floor.

"Hey!" I yelled at the lion. I was too far away to strike, so I took a risk: I hurled Whirlpool like a throwing knife. It bounced off the lion's forehead, but that was enough to get the monster's attention. It turned toward me and Percy and snarled.

There was only one way to get close enough. We charged, and as the lion leaped to intercept us, I chucked a space food pouch into its maw—a chunk of cellophane-wrapped,
freeze-dried strawberry parfait. The lion's eyes got wide and it gagged like a cat with a hairball.

"Zoe, get ready!" I yelled.

Behind us, I could hear people screaming. Grover was playing another horrible song on his pipes. Percy scrambled away from the lion.

It managed to choke down the space food packet and looked at me with pure hate.

"Snack time!" Percy yelled.
It made the mistake of turning and roaring at him, and I got an ice-cream sandwich in its throat while Percy threw in a freeze-dried mango packet.

Fortunately, I had always been pretty with throwing knives, even though I preferred swords.

Before the lion could stop gagging, I shot in two more flavors of ice cream and Percy added a freeze-dried spaghetti dinner.

The lion's eyes bugged. It opened its mouth wide and reared up on its back paws, trying to get away from us.

"Now!" I yelled.

Immediately, arrows pierced the lion's maw—two, four, six. The lion thrashed wildly, turned, and fell backward. And then it was still.

Alarms wailed throughout the museum. People were flocking to the exits. Security guards were running around in a panic with no idea what was going on.

Grover knelt at Thalia's side and helped her up. She seemed okay, just a little dazed.

Zoe and Bianca dropped from the balcony and landed next to Percy. I ran over to them, unceremoniously dropping the rest of my space food off the balcony.

Zoe eyed us cautiously. "That was... an interesting strategy."

"Hey, it worked."

She didn't argue.

The lion seemed to be melting, the way dead monsters do sometimes, until there was nothing left but its glittering fur coat, and even that seemed to be shrinking to the size of a normal lion's pelt.

"Take it," Zoe told me. I stared at her.

"What, the lion's fur? Isn't that, like, an animal rights violation or
something?"

"It is a spoil of war," she told me. "It is rightly thine."

"You killed it," Percy said.

She shook her head, almost smiling. "I think thy ice-cream sandwich did that. Fair is fair, Percy Jackson. Take the fur."

I lifted it up; it was surprisingly light. The fur was smooth and soft. It didn't feel at all like something that could stop a blade. As I watched, the pelt shifted and changed into a
coat—a full-length golden-brown duster.

"Not exactly my style," I murmured, passing it to my brother. Percy shrugged and tossed it over his arm.

"We have to get out of here," Grover warned, walking over with Thalia. "The security guards won't stay confused for long."

I noticed for the first time how strange it was that the guards hadn't rushed forward to arrest us. They were scrambling in all directions except ours, like they were madly searching for something. A few were running into the walls or each other.

"You did that?" I asked Grover.

He nodded, looking a little embarrassed. "A minor confusion song. I played some Barry Manilow. It works every time. But it'll only last a few seconds."

"The security guards are not our biggest worry," Zoe muttered. "Look."

Through the glass walls of the museum, I could see a group of men walking across the lawn. Gray men in gray camouflage outfits. They were too far away for us to see their eyes,
but I could feel their gaze aimed straight at us.

"Go," Percy said. "They'll be hunting me. I'll distract them."

"No," Zoe said. "We go together."

We all stared at her. "But, you said—"

"You are part of this quest now," Zoe said grudgingly. "I do not like it, but there is no changing fate. You are the sixth quest member. And I believe thy sister would try to attack me if we left you behind."

"Damn right-" I nodded approvingly at Zoe.

'•'
Word Count: 2878