Hi! Thank you for all of your reviews and follows! I got really excited when I saw each one!
Just a warning, my updates will probably be really irregular. During the summer, I'll likely be updating more frequently, but once school starts, I may be out for months at a time. Just letting you know. :D
Also, I was just rereading this to make edits, and I realized that it sounds weirdly like a last chapter. But have no fear, because this is nowhere near close to a last chapter! There's a lot more coming soon, so I hope you guys will stay tuned.
I hope you enjoy this chapter! Sorry for the weird update thingy with all the formatting marks. I don't really know what happened there. I apologize if you see some random /p 's at the end of a line.
Disclaimer: These characters are only mine in my head. In reality, they're Rick Riordan's.
Annabeth
I felt bad, kicking that guy around. He seemed pretty sweet. But I needed to see how he would react. I needed to know what kind of person he was, and whether he was worthy of killing.
'Huh?' you ask. Don't worry. I'll explain.
That morning, Luke had left a message for me. "Hey Annabeth. I got a new offer for you. He's a rich guy, so he'll pay well for sure. Call me back."
So I did. Only to find out that he had set up a meeting with the client for an hour later. Hurriedly, I donned my disguise. The brown wig, the brown-colored contacts, and the full face of makeup that made me seem...not like me. I grabbed my pocket-knife, my handgun, and a satchel in case I was in the mood for a down payment. Then I shut the door to my apartment and called a taxi to drive me to the meeting place - a coffee shop with a deserted alleyway nearby for any necessary transactions. When I entered, he was already there.
James Thorn. Businessman who owned hundreds of hotels across the country. Thornton Suites. I had stayed in one of them for a job in New York City, because my client thought it would be a great idea to pay for my accommodations so he would have to pay me less in the actual check. I don't really know the point of that, but it was thoughtful. I just don't like it when they do that, because it means they have control over where I stay and what I do. And I hate interacting with my clients other than for the initial request and the payment. Not surprising, considering that most of them are criminals or overall bad people.
Anyways, I had a feeling this one would be interesting. He looked frantic. There were stress lines on his forehead, as if this particular victim had dragged him through hell. Good. He probably deserved it anyway.
I walked up to him and whispered the code word, which he had requested I say to confirm that it wasn't some random guy who felt like talking to him. Necessary safety precautions. He then whispered back, "Perseus Jackson. There's only one of him, so if you need info, look it up. I have a time limit, within two weeks."
I smirked. This client was really scared, to be talking in sentence fragments. He was probably a first-timer. Meaning his victim was probably someone who ticked him off real bad. People are typically really reluctant to enter this business, and only enter it if they really, really have to. "Payment?"
"Half a million."
If I were a little less careful, my jaw would have dropped. That amount was crazy. If I got that kind of money, I would be set for life. I could even pay for college and become what I've always wanted to be: an architect. Gods, if I completed this job, I wouldn't need to be an assassin anymore.
Considering the desperation and rush he was in, I decided that trying for a little more wouldn't hurt. "Give me three quarters."
He puffed, "Done. Let's go somewhere we can't be seen, and I'll give you the first half."
But I gave him my typical answer. "I need a couple days."
Thorn scrunched his eyebrows together. "That's going to lower it to 6."
"Fine." I snapped. "But Luke should have told you. My precondition has always been that I need a few days before I confirm."
Thorn blinked. "Fine."
I glared at him for good measure, just to show him who's boss, but I left with an uneasy feeling in my stomach. I was getting paid so much for this job that it was too good to be true. What if this job cost me much more than what I was getting?
I didn't want to think about that. This offer deserved some celebrating. But first, I had a couple stops to make.
There it was. Leo and Calypso's Garage: Auto Repair and Mechanical Monsters.
Leo had been a really good friend of mine for a while. We met by chance one day, when I was doing some 'research' on my client's target. I went on to learn that he was basically a genius when it came to mechanics and engineering. I had taken a lucky guess that he was equally as good at computers, and thankfully, I was right. For a share of my income, Leo now serves as my 'personal researcher.' He looks into both the target and the client's backgrounds, and helps me find out why I've been hired to kill. And I never kill without knowing why. That's why I always ask for a few days before I say yes to a client. I need to know whether my kill will be justified.
Which is why I went to Leo's repair shop that day. I needed to know why I was killing this Perseus Jackson. It was a pity. He had such a cool name.
The moment I opened the door, a machine santa started singing "Jingle Bells," even though Christmas had been 5 months ago. I heard a loud voice exclaim, "Come in. Come in, hermana. It's been a while."
I grinned at Leo. As a teenager, he'd been short and scrawny, but now he'd grown quite tall. He was still pretty lanky, but he overshot me by at least 5 inches. His curly brown hair stuck up in random directions behind his welding goggles, and his apron was covered with oil stains and char marks. How he managed to get set on fire so often, I have no idea. "New client. He's probably a first-timer."
I could see the mischievous look building behind his brown eyes. "Indeed. Are you getting some good money?"
I walked up to him so that no unsuspecting customer would hear our conversation. "Six hundred grand."
Leo's eyes lit up. "Oh. My. Gods. Who's the guy?"
"James Thorn. The target is some guy named Perseus Jackson. He has a cool name, I'll give him that."
Leo promptly dropped his screwdriver and stared at me in shock. "Are you kidding?"
"Huh?"
"Percy Jackson? That guy is really famous and really cool too. His company works to save the oceans and all that. And he's supposedly really good-looking. Why would Thorn want you to get him? He's supposed to be a solid guy. And I think Calypso dated him once in high school too. She's a really good judge of character, if I do say so myself." He then dusted himself off as if he were some cool kid.
That wiped the smile off my face. Why would Thorn want to kill a charity worker? "Okay, so can you look into Thorn and Jackson, and find out what Thorn would have against him? Look hard. I don't want to skip out on a six-hundred thousand dollar opportunity unless absolutely necessary. Also, would you be okay with me talking to Calypso about him?"
Leo blinked and nodded. "Sure. She's in the kitchen. Just don't use your typical interrogation methods. I'll get as much dirt as I can to you by tomorrow, but I just really don't know what Jackson could have done wrong."
So I made my way inside, and found none other than Calypso working on a couple omelettes for her customers. And I have to be honest. I was jealous. Calypso was a beautiful girl, with brownish-auburn hair and wide brown eyes that could make a guy melt. Her lips and skin were practically perfect, no makeup needed. She was literally goals. It was a wonder that she wasn't an international supermodel. She lived with the man she loved (who wasn't much, but still), and achieved her lifelong dream. She was living the life she had always wanted, which was more than enough to make me envious.
I had always been reluctant to follow my own dream of being an architect, for one main reason. I had never actually been to school. The entirety of my childhood was spent either begging, babysitting, or killing. The reason I knew my way around typical school subjects was more of a Matilda-like story. I had visited the library very often as a kid, especially with my mother, who loved learning. My daily visits only ended after my father became a drunk, and I was forced to take care of Bobby and Matthew instead. After my brothers matured enough to get themselves jobs (3 years ago), I found myself getting into the same routine as I had been in as a 3 year-old. And I haven't stopped. I haven't read the entire library yet, but maybe in another 2 years.
So if I show up at some architecture firm with no college degree, or even a high school diploma, I'm sure to be kicked out within seconds. I mean, sure, I'm smart enough, but I don't have the paperwork to prove it.
Back to Calypso. She greeted me with a radiant smile, and went for a hug. "Hi, Annabeth! It's been so long! What brings you here?"
I gave her a slight smile, hoping she wouldn't give me that disappointed look she always did. "I've got another client. And this one seems interesting."
Unfortunately, I got that disappointed look from her. "Annabeth, you could be doing so much more with your life, but I'm sure you've heard that talk from me over a million times. Why is this one interesting?"
I grimaced. "Well, it involves somebody you used to know. Do you remember Perseus Jackson?"
Calypso thought for a second, and then chuckled. "Oh my gods. Percy? He was the sweetest guy when I dated him, but the breakup was mutual. He and I didn't really fit well together."
I raised an eyebrow mischievously, eliciting a "No! I did not mean it that way and you know that."
I just laughed and told her to keep going./p
"But yeah, he was really nice and always treated me well. But he was oblivious as heck. Like, I don't know how to describe it. He just couldn't take a hint. He's not stupid. Just… no common sense, I guess. I mean, it's not like Leo's any different, but..."
I grinned at that. He must have annoyed the heck out of Calypso. "Sounds great."
She laughed. "Now that I think about it, you two might make a great couple. Opposites attract, right?" As I shook my head vigorously, she continued. "Anyways, why do you ask? Does he want you to kill someone? That doesn't seem like something he would do, unless he's changed."
I kept shaking my head, except slower. That was when Calypso gasped. "Somebody wants you to kill him?"
I stopped my head from moving, and looked at her with a somber look on my face. "I'm hearing from both Leo and you that he's a good guy, so I really don't think I should accept this job. But I'm conflicted, because if I do agree, the amount he's paying will set me up for life. I need help, Calypso. I don't know whether to value logic or morals for this one."
She gave me a sad smile. "If I were you, I'd shut the client down, right away. Money's not worth killing an innocent man who's trying to make a difference in the world. There are other ways to find what you want in life. Besides, look at me. This business doesn't give me a lot of money, but I'm happy. I wouldn't trade this for a million dollars. Don't try to buy happiness, Annabeth."
I nodded. Maybe she was right. I would much rather kill ten cruel murderers than one decent rich guy, no matter how much money the jobs gave me. If this Perseus kid was really that amazing, then I had no choice but to say no to the offer.
But I didn't want to say no for nothing. Before I called Thorn to decline, I needed to make sure that Leo and Calypso's testimonies matched up with the man the world knew today. I wanted to meet him. I asked Calypso if she knew where I could. I didn't get much, but I didn't blame her, considering she hadn't seen him for 10 years.
But when I asked Leo the same question, he gave me an address in 5 minutes, using his superior internet-searching abilities.
And that's how I ended up getting kicked out of my very first bar.
I entered as silently as I could, praying that he would be here tonight. My intention was purely to go inside, look for my target, shove him around a little, and get out. I did not want to stay for any longer than I needed to, especially on a Friday night, in a bar with old men. I might have ended up killing someone unintentionally. Thankfully, that hadn't happened before.
In an attempt to act inconspicuous, I ordered a drink before scanning the room. There was a young couple who looked pretty harmless, a group of drunk old men (yuck), and… ah. There we go.
In the corner of the room, a young man sat at a four seat table, in the chair farthest away from everybody else, as if he didn't want to be seen. A cap hung low over his face, and dark hair peeked out from under the cap's sides. His hands were messing with his glass of what looked like beer, but those beautiful eyes were staring straight at me. My heart leapt.
Earlier this evening, I had taken the opportunity to do some Perseus Jackson researching of my own. And somehow, I spent 15 minutes on Google Images, just staring at pictures of his eyes. They were the brightest green I had ever seen, and they were beyond hypnotizing. His eyes were like a whirlpool, dragging anything and everything to the bottom of the ocean. The very sight of them had dragged my brain into some depth that rendered it useless for the next hour or so. And by that, I mean I started looking up his dating history. Horrific, right?
But his eyes were so much more beautiful in real life. The bar's lighting exaggerated the shades in his eyes, making the bright streaks brighter and the dark flecks even darker. I almost fell into that abyss again.
Thankfully, I realized what my brain was doing to me before it could shut down, and I forced myself to keep my cool. In an attempt to keep an air of confidence, I swaggered towards the corner and sat down next to him. No doubt I looked like a psychotic penguin.
I would have aborted my mission right then and there, if I hadn't noticed the paralyzed look on his face. It was almost as if he was surprised that a girl would approach him. How could that even be possible? Given his looks, he could score supermodels with little to no effort.
Of course, when I addressed him by name, the effect was ruined. The expression on his face morphed into alarm as he frantically pulled his baseball cap over his eyes. He glanced around the room to confirm that he hadn't betrayed his cover and then stared at me with raised eyebrows, wondering how I knew his name. In an attempt to calm him down, I stammered something about nobody finding him out, but it probably sounded lamer out loud than in my head.
He responded in a deep, smooth voice that raised my arm hairs on end. "I go by Percy."
Percy. It was such an uncommon name, but I found myself thinking it sounded cute. I could definitely get used to saying that name.
What was I even thinking? It had to be those eyes.
I mentally facepalmed myself and replied, "And I go by Annabeth. Nice to meet you."
And then I gave myself another scolding, because I should have given him a false name. Now he would have some means to track me down and put me in jail if he ever found out what I was doing. What was it about this boy that made me so unable to think?
Suddenly, I heard my name being called from behind the counter. Silently, I thanked whatever supernatural beings were favoring me today and walked to the bartender. I could finally recover from that being that mess I was in front of Percy. Speaking of which, I needed to test his patience and find out how kind he really was.
But when that drunk old guy grabbed my butt, it was my turn to get my patience tested. And unfortunately, I had none. I reacted instinctively, drawing my pocket knife and holding it to his throat. "Touch me again, and you'll be too dead to be sorry."
The bartender immediately freaked. "Hey, hey, hey! No weapons allowed in the bar! Go satisfy your violent needs somewhere else."
I gaped at him in shock, still comprehending what I had just done. He scrunched his eyebrows together. "What are you still staring at me for? Get lost! I'm not dealing with any injuries today."
I bit my lip and stormed out of the bar, making it a point to push the door as hard as I could. I was acting like a complete idiot today, and I didn't even know why. First, I act like a blabbering blockhead in front of Percy, and then I threaten a random stranger with a knife? I was letting my guard down much too easily, and I had to fix this before something bad happened.
In the midst of my stormy thoughts, I heard the pattering of Converses on the pavement. I looked behind me to see Percy himself attempting to match my pace. Once he caught up with me, he muttered, "Well, that guy was an idiot."
And I was just so pissed at myself that I took it all out on him. And after I had finished my furious rant and left him in the dust, I started to feel ashamed. I just broke that poor guy's pride to make myself feel better, nothing more. I was a real big bully.
But then I remembered what I came to the bar for. And somehow, without even realizing it, I completed my mission. Even when facing an angry Annabeth, which was the worst someone could ever face, he remained patient and sweet. He never once lashed back out at me, even though I had insulted him at least a couple times. And that was the kind of guy who I could never kill. No matter what.
