"So who do you think did it?" Grover said as they stared out the window.

After the building collapsed, Percy and Grover had walked as far as they could before choosing a building to crash in. After cleaning up and getting some sleep, Percy was feeling a lot better but his chest still ached. He wondered if he'd cracked a rib.

"You don't think it was the gamemakers?" Percy said.

"I did at first, but I was thinking. A collapsing building? There's not much entertainment in that. It's a quick death, and the cameras wouldn't have a good view of it."

Percy nodded. "I hear what you're saying."

"And if I was a tribute and had the ability to blow up a building, I definitely would."

"Ok. So who do you think did it?" Percy said.

"Man, I'm asking you. Who do you think did it?"

Percy frowned. The only two tributes he could think of with a skill like that were Charles Bekendorf and Leo. And Leo was dead.

"I suppose if I had to pick one I'd say Bekendorf."

"Do you think he knows we escaped?"

Percy laid down on the floor. Standing made his ribs hurt. "Who knows? All I know is we survived a building collapsing on us."

The thought made him laugh. Then he thought about Rachel and felt guilty. We all have to die sometime, he thought. But he wished it hadn't been like that.

Grover looked quizzically at him. "How about we just rest today? You, ah, look like you need it."

They boys took turns sleeping and keeping watch, but as the sun crept across the sky nothing happened. Percy leaned his forehead against the window and watched the street below. A leaf blew down it, swirling up into the air and down again. Percy imagined the dragging sound it would make as it scraped the pavement.

A boom of a cannon made him flinch. Somewhere else something was happening. No telling what or to who. Percy let himself zone out again, Grover's soft breathing was making him sleepy.

Suddenly he saw movement. Far down the street someone was running. Not just someone. Percy saw long blonde hair. There was only one tribute with hair like that. It was Annabeth. And judging by her run, she was in trouble. Percy shot to his feet.

"Grover! Wake up man," Percy said, "it's Annabeth."

Grover shot up. "Who, what, why? Who's Annabeth?"

"My district partner. Come on!"

Percy didn't wait for Grover, he dashed down the stairs ignoring the throb in his chest. Flight after flight, why did we choose such a high floor again, Percy thought. Finally he burst out the door out into the street. And there she was.

Leaning on the wall to catch her breath, her eyes were wide with deep, almost manic fear. When she saw Percy the panic flared, then died as she recognized him.

"Percy?" she gasped.

"Annabeth," Percy said. He hadn't realized how good it would feel to see her again. The held each other's gaze for a moment, then Grover burst out the door behind him. Annabeth drew her knife, staring at Grover with the same alarm.

"Whoa," said Percy, stepping between them. "It's ok, Annabeth, Grover is my friend."

Annabeth eyed Grover warily. "Ok."

The fight seemed to leave her all at once. Her shoulders slumped and she had to lean on Percy to go up the stairs. Percy was happy she trusted them so easily, not that he had any doubts about her. For some reason a stupid smile just kept popping up on his face. Don't get too attached, he thought, both of you are probably going to die. But still, he felt the happiest he had since the games started.

"So what just happened? Why were you running?" Percy asked.

Annabeth shuddered. "I can't-I can't talk about it yet. I just need to lay down."

The continued on in silence for a few moments. "You didn't happen to see a brown-haired girl, did you? Piper?"

Annabeth's voice was brittle, like it might shatter at any moment.

Percy shook his head. "You're the only person I've seen today."

Annabeth deflated even further when he said that and stopped talking.

When they reached their floor, Percy gave Annabeth bits of food while he and Grover caught her up their side of things. The tunnels, Bianca's death, the building collapse, and Rachel's death. Once Annabeth had some food in her she told them about her side of things. Teaming up with Piper, Octavian's death, teaming up with Reyna, Reyna killing Leo and Clarisse, and then the mutt killing Reyna. When she was finished, the three of them looked at each other grimly.

"Ten of us left," Percy said, breaking the silence. "Just ten."