Ivy Pittaluga had always made a solemn vow to keep her distance from Percy Jackson, determined to keep her world separate from the camp hero.
However, she realizes that fate has a mischievous plan in store for her. Suddenly thrown together as unlik...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
We followed the Stoll brothers to the small park at the edge of the mountain. The other campers had gathered in clusters looking down at Manhattan. The railing was lined with those tourist binoculars, where you could deposit one golden drachma and see the city. Campers were using every single one.
I looked down at the city. I could see almost everything from the city here. Everything looked normal, but something was wrong. It was quiet. Too quiet for the city that never sleeps.
"I don't ...hear anything." Annabeth voiced.
Even from this height, we should have been able to hear the noise of millions of people bustling around. We should have heard all the cars and machines. New York was never silent.
"What did they do?" Percy said with a tight and angry voice. "What did they do to my city?"
Percy pushed Michael Yew away from the binoculars and took a look. I couldn't see, but judging by how tense Percy's shoulders looked, it wasn't good.
"Are they dead?" Silena asked in astonishment.
"Not dead." Percy said. "Morpheus has put the entire island of Manhattan to sleep. The invasion has started."
🍇
Mrs. O'Leary was enjoying the silent city. We found her pigging out at an overturned hot dog stand while the owner was curled up on the sidewalk, sucking his thumb.
Argus was waiting for us with his hundred eyes wide open. Percy told him what we'd learned in Olympus, and how the gods would it be riding to the rescue. Argus rolled his eyes in disgust, which looked pretty psychedelic since it made his whole body swirl.
"You'd better get back to camp." Percy told him. "Guard it as best you can."
Argus pointed at Percy and raised his eyebrow quizzically.
"I'm staying." Percy said.
Argus nodded, like this answer satisfied him. He looked at Annabeth and drew a circle on the air with his finger.
"Yes," Annabeth agreed, "I think it's time."
"For what?" Percy asked.
"You're going to love this." I nudged his arm with a grin.
Argus rummaged around in the back of his van. He brought out a bronze shield and passed it to Annabeth. She set it on the ground, the reflection on the polished metal changed from sky and buildings to the Statue of Liberty.
"Whoa." Percy said. "A video shield."
"One of Daedalus's ideas." Annabeth told him. "I had Beckondorf make this before-" She glanced at Silena. "Um, anyway, the shield bends sunlight or moonlight from anywhere in the world to create a reflection. You can literally see any target under the sun or moon, as long as natural light is touching it. Look."
