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chapter xiii. ( the lightning thief ) ❝ a-tisket, a-tasket ❞
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THE CABBI DRIVER ACCEPTED THE LOTUS DEBIT CARD. Annabeth had loaded us into the back of a Vegas taxi – as if she expected for it to work. "Los Angeles, please."
He chewed his cigar and sized us up critically, "That's three hundred miles. For that, you gotta pay up front."
She had shown him the Lotus card, "You accept casino debit cards?"
He shrugged. "Some of 'em. Same as credit cards. I gotta swipe 'em through, first."
The taxi driver had taken the card begrudgingly, shaking his head like he couldn't believe it as much as I could. He swiped it, and I stared at Annabeth in amazement as the meter machine had started rattling, the lights flashing, and finally an infinity symbol came up next to the dollar sign.
The cigar fell out of his mouth. He looked back at us, wide eyes. "Where to in Los Angeles ... uh, Your Highness?"
I had felt a bit stooped – I wanted to be called 'Your Highness'.
"That's Santa Monica pier," Annabeth sat up a little straighter, a little smirk on her face. I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms. Percy's eyes laughed at me. "Get us there fast, and you can keep the change."
Now that I look back on it, I really wish she hadn't said that. The cab driver now was speeding along the road, his speedometer never dipping below nighty-five the whole way through the Mojave Desert. I gripped the handle above my head, trying not to look anywhere but the front, afraid I'd be sick.
We had plenty of time to talk in hushed voices. And Percy told us his most recent dream – of what he could remember of it. Once he had finished, I was greatly confused.
"A title?" I frowned, "Um – how about the Silent One?"
"The Rich One?" Annabeth added, nodding in my direction. "Both of those are nicknames for Hades."
Percy pressed his lips together, "Maybe ..." he didn't sound convinced.
"That throne room sounds like Hades's," Grover said. "That's the way it's usually described."
The son of Poseidon shook his head, "Something's wrong. The throne room wasn't the main part of the dream. And that voice from the pit ... I don't know. It just didn't feel like a god's voice."
