Hi! So this is my new story. It's about the mob, which I think is a pretty cool idea. It starts kinda slow, so give it some time. I promise it gets better as it goes. Enjoy!
Annabeth was woken up way too early the day after prom. Her face was still sore from the amount of smiling she had done the day before, and she had not gotten enough sleep to function that early in the morning. Looking up she saw her mother standing over her looking panicked. That was something that Annabeth had never seen before. Her mother was always calm and collected about everything, even when she totally had a right to lose it. It was a quality that Annabeth wished she had picked up from her mother, but she hadn't. Annabeth was a big ball of fire, and if she was pushed she let it be known.
"Mom it is seven in the morning the day after prom. Why the heck are you waking me up right now?" Annabeth asked her mother while rolling to face the other side of the bed. She had been out late the night before. Her whole school went to IHOP after prom, and Annabeth was not going to miss that. Half of the kids there had been drinking since five, and watching them fall on their asses was one of Annabeth's favorite things to do.
"Annabeth knock it off. We have to go, as in right now. Pack some of your things, and I'll explain everything in the car. Only take the things that you cannot leave behind," her mother said before she was quickly out of the room. That got Annabeth's attention. She had never seen her mother act like that.
Quickly getting up, Annabeth grabbed her phone charger and a few changes of her clothes. She had never considered what she would need in the event of an emergency, so she decided to grab her architecture textbook and throw that into her bag as well. Her mother was yelling up the stairs for her and her brother, Malcolm, to hurry. Annabeth wasted no time getting ready before throwing on an Ohio State sweatshirt and a pair of leggings and heading down the stairs. Whatever was going on was serious, and Annabeth had no intention of finding herself on the butt end of it.
Ohio State had been Annabeth's dream school since before she could talk. Both of her parents had gone there, and it seemed only logical that she went there as well. She had been accepted to the university in the winter, and was going to head down for freshman orientation in a month or two. She would be lying if she said she wasn't stoked. Annabeth had fought her parents tooth and nail to be able to attend college out of state, and after she graduated in two weeks there was nothing that was going to bring her back to her small town life. Annabeth had to admit that there was a certain charm to it, but she has always pictured herself living in a big city. All she wanted to do was change the world, and she knew that New York was the place that she was going to do it.
Both Malcolm and Annabeth made it to the car at the same time, but Annabeth had been able to snatch shotgun. "Mom where-?" Annabeth tried to ask but was cut off by her mom quickly telling her to be quiet until they were away from the house, so the three of them sat in silence for about an hour before her mother decided to speak up. Both children had tried to press their mom for more information, but every time they had they were immediately hushed.
"So I have some explaining to do," both of the kids rolled their eyes, "As you both know I've been trying to get into some new business ventures lately. I thought that if I worked with the right people on the right things I would be able to make money faster than I would otherwise be able to. The only problem was that some of these ventures weren't legal." That got both of their attention. "I got involved with the wrong people on a few of my ventures, and then when I tried to back out those same people were not very pleased with me." Athena paused looking at both of her children.
Malcolm was only a year younger than Annabeth, so they were both well aware that something that their mother had done had gone very wrong in order for them to have to leave like they had that morning, but neither of them was quite sure how wrong. "Mom what did you do?" Annabeth whispered horrified.
"I backed out of a deal that I was putting millions of dollars into. Money that was going to go right to them. Now when you mess with the mob-"
"You were messing with the mob!" Malcolm yelled from the back seat. He slid down lower in the seat putting his hands over his face as if trying to rub it away. His mother was a mobster, and that meant that they probably knew who he was too. Malcolm had never been in trouble a day in his life, and he had no intention of changing that.
"Yes, I got involved with the wrong people, and let's just say that they aren't very forgiving. That meaning that they have a bounty on my head, and that also means yours. We are all going to be relocated." The news was shocking to both of the kids. They were in high school. There was no way they were going to leave all of their friends behind, not to mention that they both had lived left in their small town.
"Wait let me get this straight," Malcolm said rising in his seat again. "You pissed off the mob, and now we all have to give up our lives and go into hiding? How is that fair? I have a life here. I have friends. We can't just pack up and leave!" He was angry. Malcolm had never been good at looking at both sides of things, and as far as he was concerned this outcome didn't fit him.
"Look I get that you have friends, but if we don't leave we aren't going to live. Since you seem so keen on knowing what is going to happen to you I'll start with what the plan is to keep you out of trouble," Athena said glaring at her son in the mirror. "Malcolm your new name is Ben Smith. You are a straight A student that just moved in with your aunt and uncle after both of your parents died in a car accident. I have your boarding pass and a profile of you in the bag next to you. You can read it on your flight to Oregon; where you will be living from now on.
"When you get to Oregon you will need to pick up your bag and look for a man holding a sign with your name on it. Once you see him walk up to him and say 'rattlesnake.' He should respond back with 'viper.' If he does, that is the man that you are looking for. He will take you to your new home." Athena didn't seem phased by any of this, but both of her children were left speechless. This was something insane. Annabeth swore it was straight out of a novel.
"So we aren't all staying together?" Malcolm asked looking at his family. He may have been worried about himself, but he didn't want to lose his family. It seemed like they were all he really had left.
"No that would be too risky. None of us will be staying together." Athena answered as they pulled up to the airport. All three got out; two of which were still stunned from the news. "Now Malcolm I need you to promise me that you will do exactly as your new family says. I have provided them with funds to support you, and they have the ability to protect you as long as you listen. That means no contact with your old life. Do you understand?" He nodded at her still seeming dazed. No contact with his friends. No contact with his school. No contact with his family. That all seemed crazy to him.
They didn't have long to say goodbye due to the fact that Athena still thought they were being followed, so after a few hugs and "I love you"s from all parties Malcolm was rushed into the airport and the girls got back in the car and started to drive toward the city.
"Mom what is-?" Annabeth tried to ask, but her mom cut her off with a quick look that told her to be quiet.
"I'll tell you the plan when we get there," was all that was said before her mother turned back toward the road. It took them another hour to get to the city and the whole way there Annabeth was fidgeting in her seat trying to think what her plan was if her mother couldn't tell her. Was she going to be killed off? Or worse left to fend for herself in the middle of the city? That seemed a little ridiculous to her, but then again so did this whole situation.
The pair pulled up in front of a tall brick building that looked a lot more like a prison than Annabeth wanted to admit. There was no way they were going to make her be an inmate. Right? Getting out of the car Athena motioned for Annabeth to bring her bag and follow her inside. Nodding she grabbed her bag out of the back seat and scurried into the building a few steps behind her mother.
Both of them walked to the elevator in silence. Once they were on the elevator Annabeth went to make a move to ask her mother more questions, but was quickly silenced by a wave of her mother's hand. After that they both watched the elevator climb up to the 15th floor before coming to a stop with a resounding ding.
Athena took the first step out of the elevator and led the way to a conference room without looking back at her daughter. The room was at the end of the hall, and it almost seemed like Annabeth was walking to her doom. Annabeth had been hoping that there would be a view of the city, but she was surprised to find that the room didn't have any windows and only the door that they entered through. The room was pitch black except for the dull light fixture that hung in the center of the room.
Once they were both in the room with the door firmly closed Athena motioned for Annabeth to ask her questions. "Why are we in a building? Aren't I going to get a new identity like Malcolm did? What is happening?" She all but yelled at her mother. Annabeth had never been one that was good under stress. This was one of those ball of fire moments.
Just as her mother opened her mouth to speak the door flew open and a very attractive man in his early twenties looked upon the women. Annabeth had never been one to fawn over guys, but she had to give it to him. The guy was gorgeous. He was probably 6' 3" and had gorgeous dark hair that didn't look brushed, but she could tell that it was. He was built like a swimmer. Plus he just had an air about him that showed that he was important. It must have been in the way he walked or maybe the way he stood, but everything about the man screamed power.
He made Annabeth feel small standing in the same room as him. She came in at 5' 6" which was average for a girl. Her blonde curls contrasted to his dark hair, but they both had the not brushed look going, but that was only because she hadn't had time to brush hers that morning before they left. His large frame would have masked her small athletic one if he had been near enough for her to size him up, but he hadn't moved into the room yet.
The man quickly took in his surroundings before stepping into the room and closing the door. Looking to Athena he said "Good morning. I wasn't expecting to see you so soon, but I can't say that I'm surprised." Her mother just nodded and gave him a grim look.
Annabeth was still checking the stranger out when he turned to address her, "And how is my future wife this morning?"
That's the first chapter! What do you think? I promise it gets better as it goes, so give it some time. I recently rewrote this chapter because I thought it needed some work, so let me know what you think! Please review, favorite, and follow!
Emily