“Ooh, I like this one!" Connor says. "'Diminished prospects for future.' Sounds like a stock report!”

“I showed him the Post-it. “You see They’re from Lily.”“Who’s Lily?”“Some girl.”“Ooh... a girl!”“Boomer, we’re not in third grade anymore. You don’t say, ‘Ooh... a girl!’”“What? You fucking her?”“Okay, Boomer, you’re right. I liked ‘Ooh... a girl!’ much more than that. Let’s stick with ‘Ooh... a girl!”

“Whoa," Connor Stoll said. "Back up. Zoom in right there.""What?" Annabeth said nervously. "You see invaders?""No, right there—Dylan's Candy Bar." Connor grinned at his brother. "Dude, it's open. And everyone is asleep. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?""Connor!" Katie Gardner scolded. She sounded like her mother, Demeter. "This is serious. You are not going to loot a candy store in the middle of a war!""Sorry," Connor muttered, but he didn't sound very ashamed.”

“I don't think there is any feeling I like more than the one that someone is glad to see me. —Connor Kane”

“Being sixteen forever sounded good until you really thought about it. Then it didn't seem like such a great prospect.”

“Like Connor, Alex protected me -and he was the only person I let close enough to do it. Like Connor, Alex could finish my sentences before I did. But unlike Connor, for whom I had ultimately come too late, I was just in time to take care of Alex.”