Apollo mentally christens the leader of the trogs “George Washington.” George Washington asks Nico if Apollo and his friends are the sacrifices he promised. Will offers him the skink instead. Pleased by the offering, the trogs take the group to their corporate headquarters so they can discuss a trade with Nico. The group is assigned a tent in the headquarters, which is in an abandoned subway station. Rachel tells Apollo to buy time when he meets Nero so the others can enter the Greek fire storage area. The only way to do this is to ask Camp Half-Blood to attack the Tower of Nero. Fighting them will distract Nero from his plans to set New York city ablaze. Apollo hates the idea of putting the campers in danger. Rachel is moved by Apollo’s empathy. She requests that he trust her. Apollo agrees to send a message to Camp Half-Blood.

The group eats the skink soup prepared by the trogs. Apollo pretends to like the soup but is secretly nauseated. Nico asks the trogs to tunnel into Nero’s Greek fire reservoir and eat the fire, which they can digest. The trogs are divided about accepting Nico’s request for help.