"Well, fu-" 

"Don't. You. Dare." Annabeth hissed to Finley. Despite the danger they were in, Annabeth seemed to take on the role of Steve Rogers, reprimanding her team for vulgar language. 

"-zz. Fuzz." Finley nodded with a pale face. "I was definitely going to say fuzz."

The group raced down the catwalk. Braires happily followed in his panic. 

Behind them, Kampê hissed and growled in ancient tongues as she flew after them. 

Their feet pounded on the metal stairs as they ran for their lives. Finley's braid flipped in the wind as she jumped down the last seven stairs, not caring that she might have sprained her ankle. 

They had just passed the guard's station when Annabeth spoke. 

"Left! I remember it from my field trip!"

"Didn't happen to remember an ancient monster, did you?" Finley shouted. 

"Well, I'm sorry! I didn't get much time to look around!" Annabeth called back. "I was a bit preoccupied trying not to punch a kid!"

The group found themselves in the prison yard, ringed by security towers and barbed wire. The bright sunlight nearly blinded Finley. Tourists were milling around, taking pictures. The wind whipped cold off the bay. In the south, San Francisco gleamed all white and beautiful, but in the north, over Mount Tamalpais, huge storm clouds swirled. The whole sky seemed like a blacktop spinning from the mountain where Atlas was imprisoned, and where the Titan palace of Mount Othrys was rising anew. It was hard to believe the tourists couldn't see the supernatural storm brewing, but they didn't give any hint that anything was wrong.

"It's even worse," Annabeth said, gazing to the north. "The storms have been bad all year, but that—"

"Keep moving," Braires wailed. "She is behind us!"

They ran to the far end of the yard, as far from the cellblock as possible.

"Kampê's too big to get through the doors," Percy said hopefully.

Then the wall exploded.

"Sure! But she has the strength of Hulk!" Finley huffed. "Why wouldn't she? Fates must really love us!"

Tourists screamed as Kampê appeared from the dust and rubble, her wings spread out as wide as the yard. She was holding two swords—long bronze scimitars that glowed with a weird greenish aura, boiling wisps of vapor that smelled sour and hot even across the yard.

"Poison!" Grover yelped. "Don't let those things touch you or..."

"Or we'll die?" Percy guessed.

"Well...after you shrivel slowly to dust, yes."

"Let's avoid the swords," Percy decided.

"Really?" Finley rolled her eyes. "Thought I'd just jump right into one!"

"Now is not the time for sarcasm!" Annabeth hissed. 

"Braires, fight!" Tyson urged. "Grow to full size!"

Instead, Braires looked like he was trying to shrink even smaller. He appeared to be wearing his absolutely terrified face.

Kampê thundered toward them on her dragon legs, hundreds of snakes slithering around her body.

Percy froze for a moment, almost as if he were contemplating something. 

"Come on, Water Boy!" Finley shouted as she grabbed his hand, pulling him along. "You'll hurt yourself thinking that much."

Annabeth seemed to reason running was the best option as she shouted the order; run. 

The group had just reached the boat as a new group was unloading. Their eyes widened in terror as they barrelled toward them at full speed. 

"The boat?" Grover asked.

"Too slow," Tyson said. "Back into the maze. Only chance."

"We need a diversion," Annabeth said.

Tyson ripped a metal lamppost out of the ground. "I will distract Kampê. You run ahead."

"I'll help you," Percy said.

"No," Tyson said. "You go. Poison will hurt Cyclopes. A lot of pain. But it won't kill."

"Are you sure?"

"Go, brother. I will meet you inside."

Finley was about to turn and follow them, she caught sight of a young boy. He couldn't have been older than five. 

In a split second's decision, she ripped her hand from Percy's and rushed over to the child.

"Where's my Mommy?" He had asked through his sobs. 

"I'm not sure," Finley said quickly. In the distance, she could hear Percy and Annabeth's shouts for her. "I'm going to get you somewhere safe, alright?"

Before the young boy with dark skin could respond, a woman appeared. She had tears streaming down her face and she looked frantically. The young boy ran up to the woman. 

"Alright then," Finley stood. 

Tyson threw a stand of Dippin Dots at Kampê. The monster gave a low and menacing hiss as she swung her giant swords. They glow with an odd aura, making Finley want to shy back. 

She quickly rubbed the gem on her ring. Her beautiful sword grew to its full length. Without a second thought, Finley charged. Unlike Clarisse, who liked to shout while charging, Finley stayed silent. 

One of Finley's advantages was her speed and agility. Kampê, who was too distracted by Tyson, didn't notice Finley's fast advance. 

Kampê hissed in pain as Finley slashed the back of her legs in one deadly arch. In retaliation, Kampê swung her sword, almost taking off Finley's head. And she would've, had Finley not ducked. 

"Finley!" Tyson shouted. "You are supposed to be with Percy!"

"Well I'm not," Finley grunted as she dodged yet another attack by Kampê. 

"Percy will be upset!" 

"Tyson, I don't care right now!" Finley hissed. 

"Oh right! Monster!" 

Despite the situation, Finley laughed. Actually laughed. It wasn't forced, and it wasn't fake. Perhaps it was the fact she just missed another deadly blow. Perhaps she just found it amusing. 

Tyson lifted one of the large pieces of rumble before launching it at Kampê. Unfortunately, Kampê's right scimitars caught the end of her shirt. 

Panicking, Finley dropped her sword and tore the shirt off of her body, leaving her in a sports bra. She would've been Demigod Pellets had Tyson not been fighting Kampê. 

Finley knew they wouldn't be able to defeat Kampê. She was too strong and too fast. Her hands fought independently and could easily fight two people at once. 

It was a lost cause. 

"Tyson! RUN!" Finley shouted. 

The cyclops didn't need to be told twice before taking off. Finley thrust her hand forward. A beam of light hit Kampê in her terrifying eyes, stopping her. She hissed in pain and irritation. 

"As fun as this is," Finley mocked, backing away as she kept the sunlight in Kampê's eyes. "I have a quest to finish. Besides, I'd like to eat mac and cheese before my tragic death."

Kampê moved forward as Finley quicked her steps in a slight backward jog. 

Finley could hear her friends' shouts before she spun on her heel, and bolted. She didn't wish to become monster food today. She ran as fast as she could. 

Kampê swiped at Finley, causing the girl to jump to the side before running faster. 

Percy pulled Finley through the hole the group had come from with so much force she stumbled into his chest as Tyson moved the boulder, keeping Kampê out. 

Finley tried to pull away from Percy, but he didn't appear to want to let go. If anything, he pulled her closer into the hug as he buried his face in her shoulder. 

"Don't do that again," he murmured. 

"I'll try not to, Water Boy," Finley joked despite her flaming face. 

Annabeth watched from the side, trying to conceal her laughter. It only increased once Percy pulled away, realizing Finley wore nothing but a black sports bra. 

"W-what happened to your shirt?" he stammered as his sea-green eyes looked to the right of Finley. He didn't want her to feel uncomfortable if he was looking at her and thought to give her some sort of space. 

He also didn't want Apollo to blow him to smithereens. 

Actually...he'd take being vaporized by Apollo if it meant not having an angry Thalia Grace out for his head. 

"Kampê's poison got on my shirt," Finley shrugged. "I practically ripped it off my body."

"Here," Percy handed him a hoodie from his pack. 

"I have more-"

"Just take it," Annabeth hissed, shooting Finley an annoyed look. 

"Thanks," Finley smiled, pulling the dark blue hoodie over her head. 

Percy's eyes slowly met her hazel ones where they remained for several moments. 

The group was silent, even Brairs and Tyson. 

Annabeth cleared her throat.

"I-um-right," Percy stammered. 

"Nice day for a stroll, huh?" Finley questioned. 

"We have a quest," Annabeth reminded, her grey eyes lit with great amusement. 

"This way," Percy nodded, walking down the corridor. 

"Other way," Grover corrected with a grin. 

"It's a single hallway, Grover," Finley rolled her eyes as she followed Percy. 

Annabeth and Grover followed behind the group. 

"That was painful," Grover whispered to Annabeth. 

"Tell me about it." she scoffed.