Walk With the Shadows [ Percy Jackson OC ]

TWENTY-FOUR | Alex

OLD BUCKET OF BOLTS OR NOT, the car Walden gave to them put the biggest smile on Alex's face. He missed most of the next few minutes of discussion. But he gathered that Walden had been planning on getting a new, more eco-friendly car anyways. So he didn't care if they totaled it.

"I can't trade that thing in for much anyways," Walden said. "It's gotta be over a decade old at this point. Maybe more. I got it used."

Kitty swiped the keys out of the air as he tossed them to Alex. "Thanks, man!"

"Oh no. You are not driving," Alex said. He'd seen her drive chariots, and even though she was better than Ophelia, that wasn't a high bar to pass. "I'm the only one here with a license."

"Makes no difference to me. Just get out of here. I really don't fancy a monster attack," he said. But he offered them a small smile and a last piece of advice. "Don't take '95. Traffic's the worst heading into DC, which puts civilians at risk if you run into trouble."

All three agreed they wanted to avoid that, even if it would be faster. So on Walden's suggestion, they made for the Baltimore Washington Parkway, 295. Not much better in terms of traffic, but something. Alex insisted Kitty sit in the second row, thoroughly worried about her distracting him or punching him in the arm if they saw a Volkswagen Beetle. He had a license, sure, but that didn't mean he spent a ton of time driving through cities. Still, better to be leaving Baltimore by vehicle than by walking.

It cooled off a bit that morning. Mercy, honestly. Ophelia hadn't been the only one exhausted from the heat and long trek the day before. Sure, it had been easier to deal with in dry shoes, but wet shoes weren't the only reason to have ducked into the dark aquarium.

Traffic really did suck in the morning. Every moment they crept along the road at a snail's pace, the more agitated he felt. Alex glanced at the trees to their left and to their right. Walden didn't mind if they totaled this car. But Alex did.

He had no desire to run all the way to DC. Sure it wouldn't take as long as Philadelphia to Baltimore, but still. He liked driving. He liked wheels. He wondered briefly what Hermes would think of that. Wheels over feet.

Alex paused. He glanced in his rearview mirror as Kitty fell quiet. She and Ophelia had been playing the License Plate game, trying to get every state. "Talk to me, Kit."

"Something's off," Kitty said. She narrowed her eyes, leaning forward over the center console. "Look at that."

He and Ophelia followed her finger as Kitty pointed outside. A flock of birds shot up into the air from the right, flying towards them and across the road. Alex's heart sank.

But the car in front wouldn't move, and the one behind him closed in. Nowhere to go. Not with the car, anyways. And maybe it was nothing. Nature didn't react just to monsters.

"We need to move," Ophelia said.

Alex didn't hesitate further. He unlocked the doors. The ground shook. Then he saw white, pain filling his side and crashing metal filling his ears.