The Forbidden Daughter ➳ Percy Jackson

11: We Get Help From My Uncle

"Guys? Have you guys noticed that helicopter following us?" I heard Grover ask.

I broke away from Percy and looked out the window.

And I did notice the helicopter was following us.

Styx.

"We have to ditch the van." Thalia said.

I saw a sign for the Washington Metro.

"Guys. Pull over into that parking lot. I have a plan." I said.

"Are you crazy? We'll be trapped!" Zoë said.

"Just trust me." I said.

Zoë shot along the traffic and into the parking lot. We ditched the van and ran down some steps.

"It's a subway entrance. Let's go south. Alexandria." I said.

We bought tickets and headed to the subway. A few minutes later we were going south, riding away from D.C. As the train came above ground, we could see the helicopter circling the parking lot, but it didn't come near ur.

"Nice job Bella, thinking of the subway." Grover said as he let out a sigh.

"Yeah. I saw the station on my 8th grade D.C. Trip. I guess I just remembered where it was." I said.

"Yeah, the area looked awfully familiar. I remembered it from when Nico and I used to live here in D.C. But the station wasn't here when we were." Bianca said.

"Wait, no subway at all?" I asked.

Bianca nodded.

How could the whole subway system be less than 12 years old?

The helicopter was getting louder again.

"We need to change trains. Next station." Percy said.

Over the next half hour, we had to change trains twice. I didn't know where we were going, but after awhile we lost the helicopter.

We had to get off the train at the next stop. The place we were? I don't know. All I know is that there was a ton of snow. And it was really cold. I'll bet Percy was happy to have his lion's coat.

We saw a passenger train, but it was frozen and it looked like it hadn't moved in years.

A homeless guy was standing at a trash-can fire.

"Y'all need to get warmed up? Come on over!" He exclaimed.

We huddled around the fire. Thalia's teeth were chattering.

"My hooves are frozen." Grover complained.

"Feet." I corrected, since we were in the presence of a mortal.

I gazed miserably at the fire. Annabeth is in danger. Artemis, my mother, is in chains.

And we were stuck on the outskirts of D.C., sharing a homeless guy's fire.

"You kids need a train going west?" The man asked.

"Yes sir, do you know of any?" I asked.

He pointed his hand.

There was a freight train, gleaming. It was one of those trains that carried cars. The side of the train said Sun West Line.

How convenient. And coincidental.

I turned to the homeless guy, but he was gone. The trash can in front of us stood cold and frozen, as if he had taken the flames with him.

For some reason, I had recognized his eyes.
**********
An hour later we were going west. Zoë and Bianca were behind a Lexus on the top deck. Grover was in a Lamborghini, also on the top deck. Thalia had hot wired a radio in a black Mercedes.