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"And hter?"

"I couldn't leave her," I admitted, my throat dry "Or Grover," I added quickly "Or--"

"Spare me" Athena stepped close tomy skin itch "I once warned you, Percy Jackson, that to save a friend you would destroy the world Perhaps I was mistaken You seem to have saved both your friends and the world But think very carefully about how you proceed froiven you the benefit of the doubt Don't mess up"

Just to prove her point, she erupted in a colu the front offor me at the elevator "Why do you sether we made our way down to the street level Neither of us said a word TheI should've ods: better elevator tunes

When we got into the lobby, I found uy, who'd returned to his post

"I'o up! My son--" Then she saw ed the breath right out oflit up blue," she said "But then you didn't co a bit anxious," Paul said drily

"I'ed Annabeth "Everything's okay now"

"Mr Blofis," Annabeth said, "that icked sork"

Paul shrugged "It see to do But Percy, is this reallyI mean, this story about the six hundredth floor?"

"Oly with a dreamy expression "I'd like to see that"

"Paul," myis we're safe All of us"

I was about to relax Everything felt perfect Annabeth and I were okay My mom and Paul had survived Olyod is never so easy Just then Nico ran in fro

"It's Rachel," he said "I just ran into her down on 32nd Street"

Annabeth frowned "What's she done this tione," Nico said "I told her she would die if she tried, but she insisted She just took Blackjack and--"

"She took asus?" I de to Half-Blood Hill She said she had to get to camp"

TWENTY-TWO

I AM DUMPED

Nobody steals ry or a?" Annabeth said as we ran for the river Unfortunately, I had a pretty good idea, and it filled me with dread

The traffic was horrible Everybody was out on the streets gawking at the war zone dae Police sirens wailed on every block There was no possibility of catching a cab, and the pegasi had floay I would've settled for so with h ed the sidewalks

"She'll never get through the defenses," Annabeth said "Peleus will eat her"

I hadn't considered that The Mist wouldn't fool Rachel like it would most people She'd be able to find the caical boundaries would just keep her out like a force field It hadn't occurred to ot to hurry" I glanced at Nico "I don't suppose you could conjure up some skeleton horses"

He wheezed as he ran "So tiredcouldn't su bone"

Finally we scrambled over the embank it Even with the sand dollar I'd given the East River for a , the water here was pretty polluted I didn't want to make any sea animals sick, but they caray water, and a pod of hippoca the river muck from their manes They were beautiful creatures, with s of white stallions The hippocaer than the others--a ride fit for a Cyclops

"Rainbow!" I called "How's it going, buddy?"

He neighed a complaint

"Yeah, I'et to camp"

He snorted

"Tyson?" I said "Tyson is fine! I'eneral now in the Cyclops army"

"NEEEEIGGGGH!"

"Yeah, I' you apples Now, about that ride"

In no ti up the East River faster than Jet Skis We sped under the Throgs Neck Bridge and headed for Long Island Sound

It seemed like forever untilthe beach at camp We thanked the hippoca for us He stood in the sand with his ar at us

"Is she here?" I asked

He nodded gri okay?" Annabeth said

Argus shook his head

We followed hi back at cas, no wounded fighters The cabins were bright in the sunshine, and the fields glittered with dew But the place waswas definitely wrong Green light was shooting out all the s, just like I'd seen in ical kind--swirled around the yard Chiron lay on a horse-size stretcher by the volleyball pit, a bunch of satyrs standing around hirass

Don't blairl made me do it!

Rachel Elizabeth Dare stood at the bottom of the porch steps Her ar for someone inside the house to throw her a ball

"What's she doing?" Annabeth deet past the barriers?"

"She flew," one of the satyrs said, looking accusingly at Blackjack "Right past the dragon, right through the ic boundaries"

"Rachel!" I called, but the satyrs stopped o any closer

"Percy, don't," Chiron warned He winced as he tried to s were in splints, and his head rapped in bandages "You can't interrupt"