losing ground.

 

Suddenly Annabeth materialized on the drakon's back. Her invisibility cap rolled

off her head as she drove her bronze knife between a chink in the seipent's

scales.

 

The drakon roared. It coiled around, knocking Annabeth off its back.

 

I reached her just as she hit the ground. I dragged her out of the way as the

serpent rolled, crushing a lamppost right where she'd been.

 

"Thanks," she said.

 

"I told you to be careful!"

 

"Yeah, well, DUCK!"

 

It was her turn to save me. She tackled me as the monster's teeth snapped above

my head. Mrs.

 

O'Leary body-slammed the drakon's face to get its attention, and we rolled out

of the way.

 

Meanwhile our allies had retreated to the doors of the Empire State Building.

The entire enemy army was surrounding them.