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She saw evidence of the Romans’ recent battle with an aruessed was the Senate House The forum’s broad plaza was pitted with craters Some fountains and statues were in ruins

Dozens of kids in togas were streao II More Ro and pointing as the ship descended

About half a , a Roman fort stood on a hill It looked just like the illustrations Annabeth had seen in military history books--with a defensive trench lined with spikes, high walls, and watchtowers armed with scorpion ballistae Inside, perfect rows of white barracks lined the ods e as they hurried toward the city In the midst of their ranks was an actual war elephant

Annabeth wanted to land the Argo II before those troops arrived, but the ground was still several hundred feet below She scanned the crowd, hoping to catch a gli behind her went BOOM!

The explosion almost knocked her overboard She whirled and found herself eye to eye with an angry statue

"Unacceptable!" he shrieked

Apparently he had exploded into existence, right there on the deck Sulfurous yellow smoke rolled off his shoulders Cinders popped around his curly hair Fro but a square marble pedestal Froa

"I will not have weapons inside the Pomerian Line!" he announced in a fussy teacher voice "I certainly will not have Greeks!"

Jason shot Annabeth a look that said, I’ve got this

"Terminus," he said "It’s me Jason Grace"

"Oh, I reht you had better sense than to consort with the enemies of Rome!"

"But they’re not eneht," Piper jumped in "We just want to talk If we could--"

"Ha!" snapped the statue "Don’t try that charer before I slap it out of your hands!"

Piper glanced at her bronze dagger, which she’d apparently forgotten she was holding "Um…okay But hoould you slap it? You don’t have any arms"

"Impertinence!" There was a sharp POP and a flash of yellow Piper yelped and dropped the dagger, which was now s

"Lucky for you I’ve just been through a battle," Terth, I would’ve blasted this flying monstrosity out of the sky already!"

"Hold up" Leo stepped forward, wagging his Wii controller "Did you just call my ship a monstrosity? I know you didn’t do that"

The idea that Leo h to snap Annabeth out of her shock

"Let’s all calm down" She raised her hands to show she had no weapons "I take it you’re Terod of boundaries Jason told ht? I’hter of--"

"Oh, I knoho you are!" The statue glared at her with its blank white eyes "A child of Athena, Minerva’s Greek form Scandalous! You Greeks have no sense of decency We Rooddess"

Annabeth clenched her jaw This statue wasn’tit easy to be diplooddess? And what’s so scandalous about--"

"Right!" Jason interrupted "Anyway, Terminus, we’re here on a mission of peace We’d love perod squeaked "Lay down your weapons and surrender! Leave my city immediately!"

"Which is it?" Leo asked "Surrender, or leave?"

"Both!" Ter your face for asking such a stupid question, you ridiculous boy! Do you feel that?"

"Wow" Leo studied Terht You got any gears in there that need loosening? I could take a look"

He exchanged the Wii controller for a screwdriver froic tool belt and tapped the statue’s pedestal