Chapter 1
Percy shot the pistol once more, praying to anyone that would listen to not miss the target as much as he did last time. He had been practicing his aim for months now with his skill check coming up. As a new agent of what was formerly the world renowned S.H.E.I.L.D. under one year in, he was required to meet with his Supervising Officer (SO) every six months and have a physical, mental, and skill exam. As an agent became more experienced in the field and more trusted within the agency, tests would become farther apart, but as of the moment, if he failed once, Percy would be out.
Percy barely squeezed past his first set of tests without any aim whatsoever. His 'unusual skill set' in the arts of hand to hand combat and any short ranged weapon made up for any slack, but his SO charged him with being able to hit the target at least two times in a row or Percy would be placed on desk duty for his remaining career. This was a threat that even Percy feared.
"THE RANGE IS CLOSED!" The shout roused Percy from his day dreaming. The long range weapons teacher yelled at all the desperate trainees on the range. Avis was his name, Agent Avis. Ever since meeting the man, Percy had wondered if he changed his name. Avis was the one who advised all SOs on grading for guns.
Percy couldn't stand him.
As Percy packed up to leave, he wondered why he was even working for S.H.I.E.L.D. in the first place. The Gods already had eyes and ears within the agency, and Percy could just move to Olympus and live off his huge drachma account he had co-signed with his dad. No, Percy knew why. He had two mortal mouths to feed. After Sally's passing, Paul and Percy were both left to take care of little Kate. Paul's teacher salary could never take care of all three of them and cover their mortgage payments alone and after the gods request for him to take the job, Percy did the math. He was there for Kate. That was all.
Driving back to the family apartment, Percy knew what would happen when he got home. Kate would be crying furiously as Paul attempts to rock her to sleep or change her. It was always the same. Then Percy would do a little water show and she would shut up long enough to forget why she was crying. Both Paul and Percy were immensely grateful for his godly heritage. Even with the monsters at every turn and little benefit on Percy's side, the water shed (pun unintended) on his family was great.
After parking the family Prius, which still had horse hoof shaped dents in the hood, in the underground parking of his apartment complex; Percy uncapped Riptide. There was always some monster in the building. His friend Grover attributed it to the fact that monsters liked the underground so much AND Percy's stronger scent in the mix.
Much to his chagrin, there was a monster standing outside the elevator; An Empousai to be specific. She was dressed nicely, as if she had some party to go to, and her make-up was slathered on liberally. Percy didn't bother emptying the trunk in favor of getting today's obstacle out of the way.
"Perseus, this time I WILL kill you and feast on your flesh!" Percy walked right up to her. He was just going through the motions at this point. It happened every day. Some monster would be there on the way to work and another would be there when he went home. He was surprised that after all this time; he hadn't encountered any one new. There were hellhounds, Dracaenae, Empousai, and even once one of the gorgon sisters showed up.
Percy took a swing at the Empousai's head. Tella, he thought her name was. This particular one kept showing up. She was determined, he would give her that. She ducked and grabbed for Percy's legs. As they both went down, Riptide was knocked out of his reach and Tella bit Percy along his anterior axillary line. He screamed. It wasn't a clean bite. He knew that, if not treated quickly, he would bleed out (Tella would probably eat him first though.)
Percy kneed her in the stomach and scrambled for his sword. He managed to grab it quickly and raise it into position. Tella, while Percy was going for Riptide, had gotten up and lunged for another bite. Doing so, she impaled herself on Percy's sword.
"Not again!" The Empousai crumbled to golden dust in the middle of the underground parking lot.
Percy sat there for a moment, taking it all in. This had been the worst injury he had suffered since he left camp last summer to take care of mom during her pregnancy. Which reminded him, his stepfather was probably waiting for him upstairs to help feed Kate. Percy pushed himself up from the ground and went to unload his trunk. As a precaution, he kept a bag of ambrosia in a first aid kit in the car. He could never be too careful.
After unloading, he walked out of the garage and took the stairs up. Percy learned a long time ago to never trust elevator bouncers or elevators for that matter.
As he suspected, Paul was pleading with the infant. Toys were scattered across the floor of the living room, pictures of the Jackson-Blofis family on the wall were crooked, and Percy could see an oddly dark stain on the ceiling. He did not want to know what made that. The screams of his pissed-off little sister bouncing off the walls.
"I'm home! Feed her yet?" Percy announced loudly as he walked over to the conjoining kitchen to set down his bags.
Paul turned around slowly, giving his adopted son a pleading look. "She hates me! I have tried EVERYTHING! Toys don't work, she refuses to have a nap, and even when I pulled out the big guns and gave her her bottle, she would not stop screaming!" Percy could see tears starting to form in his stepfather's eyes. "I am a horrible father! Sally would know what to do!"
Paul started to sob.
Percy walked over to the two people he loved most in the world and reached out to them. He knew that he couldn't replace his mother, but he could try. Percy enveloped Paul in a hug and let him cry into his shoulder. "I miss her too."
Kate started to quiet. She looked at her brother and the tears stopped.
"How do you do it? She just looks at you and calms down." Paul, bewildered, scooped up Kate and moved her into the hug. She started to giggle with the cutest smile on her face, despite her lack of teeth. Percy gazed at his family. He would never let anything happen to them. Never again would he let someone he loved be hurt. Never again.
"The time is coming. I can feel it. Children, are you ready to take on this great task set before you?" A voice came from darkness, deep and strong.
"Yes Father. We live to cause Deceit, Mockery, and Toil!" Three voices answered in unison.
Something horrible was coming, and this marked the start of a new age.
First of all, I am soooooo sorry for not updating! As I mentioned, I helped my family move countries, and then I left for college. Lets just say College is a big black void that sucks up my time.
Second, thank you for all your beautiful reviews! I never believed that I could get people to read my writing, let alone like it! As an answer to many of the questions I got, yes i am thinking of Pairing Percy with someone. I am not quite sure who yet though.
See you all in Chapter 3!
POLL CLOSED : There was a five way tie. Not really sure what to do now...
