DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of these characters.
On the Run
Percy knew he was different since he was little. Maybe it was the fact that he saw his father dragged away from him in the street or the way his mother acted around him. Her grip was always tight, always protective. His mother's arms were always the place he felt safest.
And as he made his way further away from his warm home the only thing he could think of was Sally Jackson's bright smiling face and her fierce eyes. The pack on his back reminded him that he would probably never get a chance to see her again. The government had finally found him out. He messed up, and now he was on the run.
Footsteps clattered on the sidewalk behind Percy. He hunch down and walked a bit faster hoping the multitude of feet didn't belong to those who were hunting him. Anxiety gripped his chest in a vice like grip. This was not good. He hurried around corners and eventually stuck himself in a narrow alleyway. Not the best hiding spot but hopefully it would do its job.
He stood there barely breathing listening for the sounds of people coming. After what felt like hours, Percy finally felt that it was safe enough to continue. Sucking in a deep breath he stepped out from the alleyway.
But he was only out in the open for a second. A person came around a corner and sprinted towards him before pushing him back in. Steely grey eyes bored into his.
"Be quiet and I'll get rid of them," the person said before shoving off and rushing back onto the streets. It was barely seconds before Percy heard their voice again. He was almost surprised at the female sounding voice.
"Have you seen this man?" a gruff voice was saying.
"Uh, no- wait, yeah actually," his savior answered.
His breath caught in his throat. Was she going to give him up? Shit shit shit. Most definitely not his savior.
The gruff voice was immediately at attention, "Where? When?"
The girl hmmed for a few seconds before speaking again. "I'm pretty sure I saw him heading that way."
Percy held his breath and squeezed his eyes shut. In this moment he was prepared to do whatever to get away. He was not letting the government drag him through the streets. His power hummed through him.
"It looked like he was headed in the direction of the subway. But it was a while ago. Sorry."
Maybe she wasn't giving him away…
"Thank you, miss," the other person said and he heard footsteps heading away from him. This girl, whoever she was, might have actually saved him. For the time being anyway. Percy let out a sigh of relief and released the power adrenaline that had built up inside him.
"Percy Jackson, what did you do?" the now familiar female voice asked him. Percy came away from the wall, startled. He had hoped that they weren't spreading his name around. He had no such luck.
"Uh," he began, but didn't know how to explain that he was the cause for a diner's plumbing exploding.
"Later," she nodded. "We've got to get you off the streets." She tugged him out of the alleyway and walked briskly down the sidewalk. He followed glancing around at his surroundings. They were in the Sixth District, far from his home in the Eighth District. She continued talking, "You're face is everywhere. Cops have been crawling the streets all evening."
"I've noticed," Percy said. And how could he not? He was so paranoid he was unsure if he was beginning to imagine them. "Where are we going?"
"My place. I can explain more there."
"How much longer?"
He could feel himself freaking out inside. The longer he was out in the open the more vulnerable he was. And the thought of going to a strange girl's house was a bit unnerving. But she did keep the cops off his back. That had to be enough for now.