"THAT WAS. . . AN INTERESTING STRATERGY." Zoe eyed Viviene cautiously.
"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 her.
Viviene 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 her. "It is rightly thine."
"You killed it," Viviene said.
She shook her head, almost smiling. "I think thy ice-cream sandwich did that. Fair is
fair, Viviene Smith. Take the fur."
Viviene 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 she watched, the pelt shifted and changed into a coat—a full-length golden-brown duster.
"Not exactly my style," Viviene murmured.
"We have to get out of here," Grover said. "The security guards won't stay confused for
long."
Viviene noticed for the first time how strange it was that the guards hadn't rushed forward to arrest them. They were scrambling in all directions except theirs, like they were madly searching for something. A few were running into the walls or each other.
"You did that?" Percy 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 said. "Look."
Through the glass walls of the museum, ahe could see a group of men walking across the
lawn. Gray men in gray camouflage outfits. They were too far away for them to see their eyes, but she could feel their gaze aimed straight at her.
"Go," Viviene said. "They'll be hunting Percy. We'll distract them."
"No," Zoe said. "We go together." And then she turned to Percy.
"You are part of this quest now too,boy." Zoe said grudgingly. "I do not like it, but there is no changing fate. You are the sixth quest member. And we are not leaving anyone behind."
*
They were crossing the Potomac when they spotted the helicopter. It was a sleek, black
military model just like the one they'd seen at Westover Hall. And it was coming straight
toward them.
"They know the van," Percy said. "We have to ditch it."
Zoe swerved into the fast lane. The helicopter was gaining.
"Maybe the military will shoot it down," Grover said hopefully.
"The military probably thinks it's one of theirs," He said. "How can the General use
mortals, anyway?"
أنت تقرأ
RED ¹ / Percy Jackson !
قصص الهواة"I suggest you stop this nonsense." "No. No unless she does as I say, or I swear, I will murder Percy right here right now." "Don't you dare touch a single hair on Percy, do you hear me?" Viviene yelled, taking a step closer to her father. " I fucki...
