¹Royal Cries, p. jackson

012.

ROYAL CRIES
━━ chapter twelve

━━ THE SIX WERE crossing the Potomac when Elisa spotted the helicopter. It was a sleek, black military model, and exactly like the one that had been present back at Westover Hall. The bad thing was, that the helicopter was heading straight for them.

               Elisa turned back around in her seat, saying, "The General and his goons know the van. We have to get rid of it."

               Zoë swerved into the fast lane. Elisa pitched to her right, bumping into Percy. She straightened her back, looking over her shoulder again; the helicopter was gaining on them. Percy looked around with her.

               "Maybe the military will shoot it down," Grover said hopefully.

               "The military probably thinks it's one of theirs," said Percy, shaking his head. He turned back around, looking at Zoë. "How can the General use mortals, anyway?"

               "Mercenaries," Zoë said bitterly. Her grip on their steering wheel was so tight, that her knuckles were turning ten shades lighter than her skin color. "It is distasteful, but many mortals will fight for any cause as long as they are paid."

               The incentive of money, a strong motivator for many. ( Elisa would like to include herself as one of the people motivated by money. )

               "But don't these mortals see who they're working for?" asked Percy. "Don't they notice all the monsters around them?"

               Zoë shook her head, keeping her eyes glued to the road ahead of them. "I do not 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."

               Since they were stuck in holiday and D.C. traffic, the helicopter was making much better time than they were.

               Thalia closed her eyes. "Hey, Dad. A lightning bolt would be nice about now. Please?"

               But the winter sky stayed grey and stormy. There was no sign of a thunderstorm ready to roll in.

               "There!" Bianca spoke up, pointing out the front window. "That parking lot!"

               Zoë frowned. "We'll be trapped."

               "Trust me," insisted Bianca.

               Zoë shot across two lanes of traffic and into a mall parking lot on the south bank of the river. They left the van there and followed Bianca down some steps.

               "Subway entrance," said Bianca. "Let's go south. Alexandria."

               "Anything," Thalia agreed.

               Elisa thought it was a bit ridiculous she was the one that had to help Zoë. She was the one that had to help Zoë buy a ticket and then get through the turnstiles. The Hunter kept telling Elisa she knew what she was doing but watching the Hunter click on random things told Elisa otherwise.

               Then came the part of getting Zoë through the turnstile.

               "Put your ticket in the slot," said Elisa, glancing over her shoulder for any sign of the General and his lackeys.

               "This blasted metal contraption will not take my ticket!" Zoë hissed at the daughter of Dionysus.

               Elisa scowled and grumbled under her breath. She ripped the ticket out of Zoë's hand, shoving the paper inside the slot and quickly pulling it out. The bars blocking the lieutenant of Artemis loosened and Elisa shoved Zoë through.