ｔｈｅ ｌａｓｔ ｏｌｙｍｐｉａｎ

MIDTOWN WAS A WAR ZONE, but Lucia was currently in the middle of two battles.

"Lucia, solecito, this is Agatha. My...friend, she's going to be living with us."

"It's a pleasure to meet the famous Lucia." Agatha stepped forward, she twirled a strand of her hair. "We'll be great friends."

Lucia winced, and notched another arrow. She and two of her siblings were holding back a Hyperborean giant.

"Davis said we had to go to that premier tonight. The magazines have to see us there together and believe this marriage is real. but you want to waste your time here because she has a little cough?!"

"She is my daughter!" He cried "And I will not leave her when she is ill not for my manager, not for publicity, and not for you."

Lucia was in the southeast corner of the fight, 33rd at the Park Avenue tunnel.  She was disoriented and in a lot of discomfort. Old memories of her childhood kept flashing in her mind. The worst of them all.

Agatha's crocodile tears fell in front of the cameras as the priest read the obituary, her hand rested upon Lucia's shoulder  "It's okay your mom is here for you."

Lucia cried harder

The burning sensation in her shoulder had completely taken archery off the table, so she was throwing daggers with her non-dominant hand and flashing lights to daze the Giant. It was effective, the Hyperborean hated the heat. But Lucia wasn't in the best state of mind to simply go for the kill.

She yelped as she saw white, and another memory flashed in her mind.

"I don't like living with her." Lucia looked up at Davis with begging eyes.

"She is your mother."

"No. she's not." Lucia frowned "I only had papa"

"Lucia. stop this." Davis huffed "Get ready, the flight to the first concert stop is in a few hours. wouldn't it be fun if you got on stage with—"

"No." Lucia said, "I don't want to."

Davis scooted forward, a hand fell on Lucia's knee which she didn't hesitate to move away from. "Lucia...you could be famous. If you want me to get you away from here I can. We'll never hear from her again if you agree. But you need to agree to my terms, you understand that right honey? I could make you grow into a star you'll grow up to be the most—"

"I'm not singing." She repeated, she closed her eyes tight, haunting images flashed in her head Agatha's jealous outburst, her hiding under tables at the adult parties, the harassment from the paparazzi.

Davis grimaced, "Then you're useless to me." he got up "Agatha will be home soon, be ready."

Lucia broke out of her thoughts when something leaped off its back and landed on the giant's head. When the giant looked up, Percy slid off his face, shield-bashing his nose on the way down.

"RAWWWR!' The giant staggered backward, blue blood trickling from his nostrils.

Percy hit the pavement running. The Hyperborean breathed a cloud of white mist, and the temperature dropped. The spot where he landed was now coated with ice, and Percy was covered in frost like a sugar donut.

"Hey, overgrown smurf!" Lucia called to the giant.

Blue Boy bellowed and turned toward her, exposing the unprotected back of his legs. Percy charged and stabbed him behind the knee.

"WAAAAH!" The Hyperborean buckled. Percy waited for him to turn, but he froze. he literally turned to solid ice. From the point where Percy had stabbed him, cracks appeared in his body. They got larger and wider until the giant crumbled into a mountain of blue shards. He turned to her.

Lucia gasped,

"I don't want you seeing that woman and her stupid son anymore."

"don't call him that." She whispered, Lucia felt nails dig into her arm.

"What did you say to me?"

Lucia's voice became smaller "why..."

"I said so." she smiled like it was that simple. "you will not see him again."

"Please. Percy is my best friend." Lucia's lips quivered "And Sally likes me coming over. She likes taking care of me...it doesn't bother her that i-"

The image was warped, interrupted. Her mind flashed and she was standing in front of a payphone in Westover hall.

ring

ring

ring

Sorry, this caller could not be reached. Leave a message after the beep.

"Hey." Lucia said, "It's me again." She took a deep breath in. "I-I know this is annoying. It's the last time I call. I get it. But... Sally. I'm just going to assume it's you."

She paused  "Did I do something wrong? I didn't blow the car up really, I swear. I have no idea what even happened, I don't know if it's that but... I don't think it is? I mean Percy blew up a school bus give me some credit sal. But, if it is then I'm really sorry" she took a deep breath in "or does Percy just not want to be friends with me anymore? I-I don't understand. After your trip to Montauk. I saw something was wrong on the news. Percy in trouble with two other kids or something like that. I couldn't see much.. my trial was all they let me think about. but is he okay? are you okay?" she started sniffling "I really hope you're okay. If you are Please, call back. don't leave me too...."

I hate Percy Jackson

"Luz?"

Lucia looked to see Percy had stepped closer. His eyebrows crinkled in concern.

"You spaced out."

"Thanks." Lucia's head was throbbing, she tried to catch her breath. "The pig?"

"Pork chops," He said.

"Great." She flexed her shoulder. Obviously, the wound was still bothering her, but she saw his expression and rolled her eyes. "I'm fine. Come on! We've got plenty of enemies left."

Lucia was right. The next hour was a blur. They fought like they'd never fought before—wading into legions of dracaena, taking out dozens of telkhines with every strike, destroying empousai, and knocking out enemy demigods. No matter how many were defeated, more took their place.

Percy and Lucia raced from block to block, trying to shore up their defenses. Lucia tried to muffle out that there were so many dead carcasses and wounded bodies in the streets. She was too afraid of recognizing someone.

A memory flashed, she was on the ship. A demigod stood in front of her, second-degree burns up and down his arms. Kronos clapped with an amused twisted grin "Lucia wins."

I serve Kronos.

As the night wore on and the moon got higher, they were backed up foot by foot until they were only a block from the Empire State Building in any direction. At one point Grover was next to Lucia, bonking snake women over the head with his cudgel. Then he disappeared in the crowd, and it was Thalia at her side, driving the monsters back with the power of her magic shield. Mrs. O'Leary bounded out of nowhere, picked up a Laistrygonian giant in her mouth, and flung him into the air like a Frisbee. Annabeth used her invisibility cap to sneak behind the enemy lines. Whenever a monster disintegrated for no apparent reason with a surprised look on his face, Lucia knew Annabeth had been there.

But it still wasn't enough.

"Hold your lines!" Katie Gardner shouted, somewhere off to her left.

The problem was there were too few of them to hold anything. The entrance to Olympus was twenty feet behind them. A ring of brave demigods, Hunters, and nature spirits guarded the doors.

Percy slashed and hacked, destroying everything in his path, but even he was getting tired, and he couldn't be everywhere at once.

Behind the enemy troops, a few blocks to the east, a bright light began to shine. Lucia thought it was the sunrise. Then she realized Kronos was riding toward them on a golden chariot.

"Argh." She groaned, her hand came to her temples. She turned away, making sure no one would notice her affliction.

I Serve Kronos

"Shut up." She whimpered, her eyes shut tight. She forced herself to gain composure.

A dozen Laistrygonian giants bore torches before him. Two Hyperboreans carried his black-and-purple banners. The Titan lord looked fresh and rested, his powers at full strength. He was taking his time advancing, letting Percy wear himself down.

Annabeth appeared next to Percy. "We have to fall back to the doorway. Hold it at all costs!"

She was right. Then they heard the hunting horn.

It cut through the noise of the battle like a fire alarm. A chorus of horns answered from all around them, echoing off the buildings of Manhattan.

Lucia glanced at Thalia, but she just frowned.

"Not the Hunters," she assured them. "We're all here."

"Then who?"

The horns got louder. Lucia couldn't tell where they were coming from because of the echo, but it sounded like an entire army was approaching.

Lucia was afraid it might be more enemies, but Kronos's forces looked as confused as they were. Giants lowered their clubs. Dracaena hissed. Even Kronos's honor guard looked uneasy.

Then, to their left, a hundred monsters cried out at once. Kronos's entire northern flank surged forward. Lucia thought it was going to be over right then and there but they didn't attack. They ran straight past them and crashed into their southern allies.

A new blast of horns shattered the night (which did not do any favors for her headache). The air shimmered. In a blur of movement, an entire cavalry appeared as if dropping out of light speed.

"Yeah, baby!" a voice wailed. "PARTY!"

A shower of arrows arced over their heads and slammed into the enemy, vaporizing hundreds of demons. But these weren't regular arrows. They made whizzy sounds as they flew, like WHEEEEEE! Some had pinwheels attached to them. Others had boxing gloves rather than points.

"Centaurs!" Annabeth yelled.

The Party Pony army exploded into their midst in a riot of colors: tie-dyed shirts, rainbow Afro wigs, oversize sunglasses, and war-painted faces. Some had slogans scrawled across their flanks like HORSEZ PWN or KRONOS SUX.

Hundreds of them filled the entire block. Lucia's brain couldn't process everything she saw, but she knew if she saw that coming at her, she'd be running.

"Percy!" Chiron shouted across the sea of wild centaurs. He was dressed in armor from the waist up, his bow in his hand, and he was grinning in satisfaction. "Sorry we're late!"

"DUDE!" Another centaur yelled. "Talk later. WASTE MONSTERS NOW!"

He locked and loaded a double-barrel paint gun and blasted an enemy hellhound bright pink. The paint must've been mixed with Celestial bronze dust or something, because as soon as it splattered the hellhound, the monster yelped and dissolved into a pink-and-black puddle.

"PARTY PONIES.'" a centaur yelled. "SOUTH FLORIDA!"

Somewhere across the battlefield, a twangy voice yelled back, "HEART OF TEXAS CHAPTER!"

"HAWAII OWNS YOUR FACES!" a third one shouted.

It was the most bizarre thing Lucia had ever witnessed. The entire Titan army turned and fled, pushed back by a flood of paintballs, arrows, swords, and NERF baseball bats. The centaurs trampled everything in their path.

"Stop running, you fools!" Kronos yelled. "Stand and ACKK!"

That last part was because a panicked Hyperborean giant stumbled backward and sat on top of him. The lord of time disappeared under a giant blue butt.

please suffocate

They pushed them for several blocks until Chiron yelled, "HOLD! On your promise, HOLD!"

It wasn't easy, but eventually, the order got relayed up and down the ranks of centaurs, and they started to pull back, letting the enemy flee.

"Chiron's smart," Annabeth said, wiping the sweat off her face. "If we pursue, we'll get too spread out. We need to regroup."

"But the enemy—"

"They're not defeated," she agreed. "But the dawn is coming. At least we've bought some time."

Lucia knew she was right. She watched as the last of the telkhines scuttled toward the East River. Then reluctantly they turned and headed back toward the Empire State Building.

They set up a two-block perimeter, with a command tent at the Empire State Building. Chiron informed them that the Party Ponies had sent chapters from almost every state in the Union: forty from California, two from Rhode Island, thirty from Illinois . . . Roughly five hundred total had answered his call, but even with that many, they couldn't defend more than a few blocks.

"Dude," said a centaur named Larry. His T-shirt identified him as BIG CHIEF UBER GUY, NEW MEXICO CHAPTER. "That was more fun than our last convention in Vegas!"

"Yeah," said Owen from South Dakota. He wore a black leather jacket and an old WWII army helmet. "We totally wasted them!"

Chiron patted Owen on the back. "You did well, my friends, but don't get careless. Kronos should never be underestimated. Now, why don't you visit the diner on West 33rd and get some breakfast? I hear the Delaware chapter found a stash of root beer."

"Root beer!" They almost trampled each other as they galloped off.

Chiron smiled. Annabeth gave him a big hug, and Mrs. O'Leary licked his face.

"Ack," he grumbled. "Enough of that, dog. Yes, I'm glad to see you too."

"Chiron, thanks," Percy said. "Talk about saving the day."

He shrugged. "I'm sorry it took so long. Centaurs travel fast, as you know. We can bend distance as we ride. Even so, getting all the centaurs together was no easy task. The Party Ponies are not exactly organized."

"How'd you get through the magic defenses around the city?" Annabeth asked.

"They slowed us down a bit," Chiron admitted, "but I think they're intended mostly to keep mortals out. Kronos doesn't want puny humans getting in the way of his great victory."

"So maybe other reinforcements can get through," Percy said hopefully.

Chiron stroked his beard. "Perhaps, though time is short. As soon as Kronos regroups, he will attack again. Without the element of surprise on our side . . ."

Lucia understood what he meant. As much as she wished he'd suffocate under the giant's butt she knew he wasn't beaten. Not by a long shot. He'd be back, tonight at the latest.

"And Typhon?" Lucia asked, she pressed her lips together.

The Gods Must Pay

Chiron's face darkened. "The gods are tiring. Dionysus was incapacitated yesterday. Typhon smashed his chariot, and the wine god went down somewhere m the Appalachians. No one has seen him since. Hephaestus is out of action as well. He was thrown from the battle so hard he created a new lake in West Virginia. He will heal, but not soon enough to help. The others still fight. They've managed to slow Typhon's approach. But the monster can not be stopped. He will arrive in New York by this time tomorrow. Once he and Kronos combine forces—"

"Then what chance do we have?" Lucia huffed. "We can't hold out another day."

"We'll have to," Thalia said. "I'll see about setting some new traps around the perimeter."

She looked exhausted. her clothes were smeared in grime and monster dust, but she managed to get to her feet and stagger off.

"I will help her," Chiron decided. "I should make sure my brethren don't go too overboard with the root beer."

"too overboard" pretty much summed up the Party Ponies, but Chiron cantered off, leaving Percy, Annabeth, and Lucia alone.

The blonde cleaned the monster slime off her knife. Lucia had seen her do that plenty of times, but she'd never thought about why she cared so much about the blade.

"At least your mom is okay," Percy offered.

"If you call fighting Typhon okay." She locked eyes with him. "Even with the centaurs' help, I'm starting to think—"

"I know." 

Lucia had a bad feeling this might be their last chance to properly talk, and she felt like there were a million things she needed to say to the both of them, especially him. But they didn't have the time to sit down and discuss anything when the world was basically crumbling all around them.

"Listen, there were some visions that Hestia showed me," Percy said. 

"You mean about Luke?" 

"Yeah," Percy said. "You and Thalia and Luke. The first time you met. And the time you met Hermes." 

Annabeth slipped her knife back into its sheath. "Luke promised he'd never let me get hurt. He said...he said we'd be a new family, and it would turn out better than his." 

Her eyes were angry, scared, desperate. Lucia frowned wishing she could do something to help her.

guilt churned in her stomach

I didn't want to make the same mistake again.... with you... I wanted to trust you-.

She will not be resistant for long

"Thalia talked to me earlier," Percy said. "She's afraid—" 

"That I can't face Luke," she huffed.

Lucia lowered her head. "There's something you should know, Annabeth" Lucia frowned, "I lied, Ethan and I think Luke is still alive inside his body, maybe even fighting Kronos for control." 

Annabeth tried to hide it, but she could almost see her mind working on the possibilities, starting to hope.

"I don't want to keep things from you," Lucia frowned. "just... I was with him for a while Beth...and I just don't, don't want you to get your hopes up.."

She looked up at the Empire State Building. "Lucy, for so much of my life, I felt like everything was changing, all the time. I didn't have anyone I could rely on."

Lucia nodded. That was something most demigods could understand, Except Lucia thankfully wasn't as alone as she could've been...

I hate Percy Jackson

"I ran away when I was seven," she continued. "Then with Luke and Thalia, I thought I'd found a family, but it fell apart almost immediately. What I'm saying... I hate it when people let me down, when things are temporary. I think that's why I want to be an architect." 

"To build something permanent," Percy said. "A monument to last a thousand years." 

She looked at him. "I guess that sounds like my fatal flaw again." 

"Hubris?" Lucia asked, She nodded.

Annabeth trusted her enough with the story one night. The Sirens in the sea of monsters showed her her deepest desire, Luke sitting with Athena and her father in front of a new Manhattan that she designed and built.

"I guess I understand how you feel," Percy said. "But Thalia's right. Luke has already betrayed you so many times. He was evil even before Kronos. I don't want him to hurt you anymore." 

Annabeth pressed her lips together. They both could tell she was trying not to get mad. "And you two will understand if I keep hoping there's a chance you're wrong."

Lucia didn't know what to say. On one hand, she should have supported her, she knew how guilty and upset Annabeth was about Luke. He meant so much to her and she felt like a hypocrite telling her to not believe in him when she believed in her. 

Lucia might not have known Luke as Luke, but in her year at sea she was with the shell of his body every day, and his face haunted her even now. She also knew the pain he'd caused Annabeth and Percy before Kronos and that was more than enough to prevent her from directing much sympathy toward him.

"If there's anyone in this world who can build a monument to last forever," Lucia told her sincerely. "It's you, Annabeth Chase."

A gentle smile grew on her face "You really think so?"

Lucia nodded, she mirrored her smile

"Please stop." Her own voice whimpered in her head "it's hurting me"

Lucia's smile dropped, she shook her head, crossed her arms over her chest she struggled to steady her breathing.

Annabeth watched her "Lucy?"

Kill Percy Jackson.

"Tell me a story." She blurted out, her eyes found Percy's

"What?"

"I mean a memory." she shook her head "Something that happened to us as kids I don't know something."

Percy looked suspicious but he didn't argue, "Um-uh When we were in 2nd grade I let you draw on my face with a marker. My mom went crazy because she couldn't remove the ink. So I went to school for a week with yellow stars all over my face and Lucia written in capital letters on my cheek."

Lucia felt the ache in her alleviate mildly, her chest vibrating as a laugh bellowed out of her. "It wasn't my fault, you chose the markers! Why would you grab the sharpies!"

Annabeth snorted "Yup, that sounds like him."

"She knew and still used them!" Percy defended, his famous crooked smile making its way onto his face.

"Yeah...I did" She giggled

"Oh, that sounds like you too."

She laughed harder.

I hate Percy Jackson

Camp Half-Blood is my Enemy

The ache intensified, Lucia's face fell in disappointment. Her laughter ceased.

"Lucia." Percy's voice became thick and unsteady "Please tell me."

"You remember your dream with Ethan and Kronos." She whispered, "Be honest with me...they talked about me too."

"How—"

"I had the same one." She sighed "That's how I knew Luke was still fighting him."

"What happened?" Annabeth pressed.

"I- He said he has something planned..."

"Luz." He said "You're with us, he can't get you. I won't let him."

Annabeth studied her "Do you feel okay?"

Davis punched the wall. "I manage your dad make his entire fucking career! I get you a mother! I raise you and make sure you have everything you want! everything you need! and you can't record one fucking song for me. you're ungrateful. Lucia, don't you care about me?"

They must pay.

Lucia watched the pair, a single tear fell down her cheek. She wiped it away just as fast. "Guys..."

Percy stepped closer to her "Yeah Sunlight?"

"I do love you." She smiled, her eyes sparkled."And I know that. I don't hate you at all..."

Percy and Annabeth shared a look, they knew something was wrong.

"Annie we only met a while ago but it feels like I've known you forever, my life doesn't make sense without you...And Percy.."

Her voice cracked, and before she could let him see her cry she dove forward, and wrapped her arms around him. Despite the armor, the monster gunk, the sweat. She held him and being in his embrace again made her question how she ever could think of being apart from it. "You're the greatest guy out there. The best person I know. You're so strong Perce. I don't mean because of that stupid curse either. And I love you. I always will. No matter what I say okay?"

"Lucia." He pulled away, he held her by the shoulders. His green eyes swirling with a storm. "You're seriously freaking me out."

She laughed in her attempt to keep the war inside her from reaching them. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I just...wanted to tell you that..."

"Are you feeling okay?" he repeated Annabeth's question

Her head was about ready to explode "I feel great ocean eyes."

They looked like they wanted to push for more, but she plastered on her best smile and that seemed to calm them both down.

Lucia watched as Percy's eyes shifted, he stiffened and stared ahead.

Lucia turned to Annabeth who waved a hand in his face. "Percy?"

Then he finally blinked and Lucia watched him like he grew two heads.

"But I freaked you out?" Lucia raised an eyebrow, "What was that?"

"Um . . . nothing, I guess." He shook it off then his gaze fell behind her. His entire face twisted in grief and he bolted down the street.

"You think you're so perfect." Her step-moms voice rang in her head "You're scum."

Lucia winced but she snapped out of it quickly

"Percy!" Annabeth called. "Where are you going?"

The two girls ran forward and when they stopped next to him, Lucia gasped. Sally was in a blue Prius, snoring. Paul was passed out next to her in the driver's seat.

She glanced towards Percy standing next to her. His chest rose and fell in desperate rhythms. He only stared ahead, lost in thought.

"They . . . they must've seen those blue lights in the sky." He rattled the doors but they were locked. "I need to get them out."

"Percy," Lucia whispered.

"I can't leave them here!" He screamed feverishly. He pounded on the windshield. "I have to move them. I have to—"

"Percy, love, just . . . just hold on." Lucia held his face, she spoke with a gentle calmness despite what was happening inside her. The wild look in his eyes unnerved her a bit but she more than anyone understood his urgency and pain. "It's alright. We won't leave them here. I promise you Perce." She turned to Annabeth and signaled to Chiron, who was talking to some centaurs down the block. She understood immediately, rushing over to him. "We will push the car to a safe side on the street, all right? They're going to be safe, It's okay."

"L-Luz."

His hands trembled. Lucia watched him and knew he was close to breaking down. She let go of his face and reached for one, intertwining their fingers as she started to rub circles with her thumb. like he always did for her. "I'm Here. I'm here Perce." 

His breathing seemed to steady

After everything he'd been through, she knew he felt worn out. Percy Jackson never ever got a chance to breathe, ever since he got back from Yancy he was fighting one monster after the next.

She wished with every fiber of her being that she could soothe his pain, help take that crippling pressure off his shoulders like he did the sky. But right now, she wasn't sure how long it was going to be until she became one of his monsters again...

Chiron galloped over with Annabeth at his heels—well hooves. "What's . . . Oh dear. I see."

"They were coming to find me," Percy's voice trembled. "My mom must've sensed something was wrong."

"Most likely," Chiron said. "But, Percy, they will be fine. The best thing we can do for them is stay focused on our job."

Then Lucia noticed something in the backseat of the Prius, and her heart skipped a beat. Seat-belted behind Sally was a black-and-white Greek jar about three feet tall. Its lid was wrapped in a leather harness.

"No way," Percy muttered.

Annabeth pressed her hand to the window. "That's impossible! I thought you left that at the Plaza."

"Locked in a vault," He agreed.

Chiron saw the jar and his eyes widened. "That isn't— "

"Pandora's jar." He told them about his meeting with Prometheus.

"Then the jar is yours," Chiron said grimly. "It will follow you and tempt you to open it, no matter where you leave it. It will appear when you are weakest."

Lucia found herself watching Percy carefully, her heart aching at seeing pain in his eyes. Two of the most important people in his life were helpless and vulnerable as a battle that rested on his shoulders raged all around him.

Make them Pay.

No. no....just shut the fuck up. Her mind begged

She didn't know Paul just yet, but Sally Jackson not only gave birth to someone she cared about but was one of them herself. And anyone who messed with her was not going to get away with it. She'd protected and cared for Lucia ever since she was a little girl, when no one else would. She had to do everything and anything she could to protect her and the man that made her happy.

leave a message at the beep

Lucia's heart dropped to her stomach.

Percy's face contorted with anger, he let go of Lucia's hand, drew Riptide, and cut through the driver's side window like it was made of plastic wrap. The sudden sound of glass breaking made her jump.

Agatha threw the glass and it hit the floor. The sound of its shattering made a shiver run up her spine. Agatha's
body was swaying as she slurred out her words, the stench of alcohol invaded Lucia's nose "You had to ruin my date!" She screamed "I told you to stay in your room once we got home! but no you want to steal everything!"

"Are you fucking joking?!." Lucia scoffed in disbelief, frustrated tears fell down her cheeks" I didn't do anything! he was like 30 that's disgusting!—I wouldn't. If he left it's because of you! I just wanted to get some wa—"

Another cup was thrown, glass shattered against the wall.

"It's all your fault!"

"We'll put the car in neutral," Percy said. Lucia broke out of her cursed memory, her head felt so heavy, she wasn't sure if she could hold it up anymore...or hold back. "Push them out of the way. And take that stupid jar to Olympus."

Chiron nodded. "A good plan. But, Percy . . ."

Whatever he was going to say, he faltered. A mechanical drumbeat grew loud in the distance—the chop-chop-chop of a helicopter.

On a normal Monday morning in New York, this would've been no big deal, but after two days of silence, a mortal helicopter was the oddest thing they'd ever heard. A few blocks east, the monster army shouted and jeered as the helicopter came into view. It was a civilian model painted dark red, with a bright green "DE" logo on the side. The words under the logo were too small to read, but Lucia could guess what they said: DARE ENTERPRISES.

She felt a twinge in her chest, her teeth clenched. perfect, that's exactly what I needed.

I hate Percy Jackson

Annabeth glanced at Lucia, "What the hell is she doing here!" she demanded, "How did she get through the barrier!"

"Who?" Chiron looked confused. "What mortal would be insane enough—"

Suddenly the helicopter pitched forward.

"The Morpheus enchantment!" Chiron said. "The foolish mortal pilot is asleep."

Lucia watched as the helicopter careened sideways, falling toward a row of office buildings.

Even if it didn't crash, the gods of the air would probably swat it out of the sky for coming near the Empire State Building.

Lucia turned to Percy who seemed too paralyzed to move. His face pained, and his eyes foggy. It was clear he wasn't in the right mind to do anything.

Annabeth took matters into her own hands, she whistled and Guido the pegasus swooped out of nowhere. She climbed on and looked to the pair expectantly.

"Come on, Percy," Lucia growled. "We have to save your friend."