"Jason," Reyna snapped. When she didn't get a reply, she gave a slight growl and grabbed his arm. "Jason, tell me what the hell is going on. You never even told me you had an Uncle Hades. You never mentioned a cousin called Percy. Now suddenly Percy breaks in here in the middle of the night, he starts eating all the candy in the fridge, and you're just going to leave with him? Jason, what is going on?"
Jason bit his scarred lip. "Listen Reyna. I know I should have mentioned them. But we had a fight. A big one. And I said some pretty bad things yeah. And I regret it now, I really do. So I kinda owe Percy you know? It's probably nothing. I'll be back here by Sunday, I swear."
Reyna sighed. "You have to be though. I'm not trying to be clingy, but the interview is on this Monday. Jason, you promised we'd do this together. If you're serious about studying the ancient world together, we really can't screw this up-"
He cut her off with a kiss, a passionate, but sad brush of their lips. "I will be," he promised. "By Monday evening, we'll be planning our trip to Rome to visit the Ancient Cities as History Professors. Just like it was meant to be. The two of us together. Happy."
Their brief moment was interrupted by Percy's voice from the kitchen. "You don't have any blue cake, do you?"
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"Dude," Percy wheedled in the car. They had been driving for twenty minutes and Jason had yet to utter a word. "You're not gonna ask any questions?"
"Nope."
"Not gonna mention how awesome Blackjack is? Sweet ride, isn't it?"
Jason refused to engage in a conversation about the car.
"Alright then, I guess I'll just have to talk. I've tracked Hades down to some small town, in the middle of nowhere called Redleed. It's the best lead I got. A few months ago the weird shit started. Deaths. A lot of them too. And the weird thing, only attractive people. That's kinda strange right?"
Jason sat in silence.
"You're gonna have to talk to me soon you know. Whatever. Well thing is, the deaths have had some sort of pattern. Every month, on the 10th."
"And nobody's checked it until now?" Jason snapped. "Tell me you weren't so dumb that you didn't see the pattern."
"That's the thing though man. It didn't go public until last week. And this shit has been going on for months. And the killer missed out on their latest victim; today's what, the 13th? 14th? Whatever, there was no death."
"Yeah, well just make sure you get a proper lead on him soon, I promised Reyna I'd be back for the interview."
"Oh dude, I understand. Seriously, if I had a hot girl like that I wouldn't disappoint her either."
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Upon entering the town, Percy quickly deemed it the most repulsive settlement he had ever lived in. It was perfect. Not a flower trampled on, not a weed in sight, it was disgustingly perfect.
They pulled up to the nearest gas station and after filling up Blackjack, the two cousins entered the shop situated beside the station. It was devoid of customers, just one old lady behind the till."
"Hello boys," she said, in that affectionate motherly tone both Percy and Jason's childhoods had lacked in, "You're not from around here, are you?"
Percy gave her his best smile, "No Madame, just passing through. Lovely town, isn't it?" He paid for the petrol, as upon consideration, added money to buy a bar of chocolate.
"Oh yes dearie! Lived here all my life and I've been happy all the time."
Jason frowned. He was used to the senile behaviour of Reyna's grandmother, but surely this woman couldn't ignore the murders that had been an ongoing fad in her quaint home?
"Thing is Madame, we're here for a New York newspaper," Jason informed her, getting down to business as quickly as he could. "And we'd just like to discuss some recent, uh, situations that have arisen here as of late."
"Get you Mr. Fancy," Percy muttered, already halfway through devouring his chocolate.
Jason ignored him and took out a notebook and pen, attempting to make a decent attempt of his charade as a journalist.
"Oh yes, of course," the lady said. "Dreadful, dreadful. But she did tell us not to say anything about it –"
"That's about it, Mrs H." a new voice interrupted, and a young girl, about Percy and Jason's own age, walked out of the storage room at the back of the shop. She raised her eyebrows sceptically upon seeing Percy and Jason. "Well hello there."
Jason prayed his body wouldn't betray him and do anything embarrassing. He loved Reyna, he really did, but this girl was beautiful. Her dark skin and choppy chocolate brown hair suited her perfectly and her eyes were tinted with blue, green and flecks of brown. Beside him, Percy seemed faced with similar struggles.
"Piper, darling! Oh Piper is wonderful. Helps me out with the shop all the time, she knows my back is bad," crowed the old woman. "These lovely young boys are here to ask me about some incidents, but don't you worry, I told them that you said –"
"That's enough, Mrs. H," Piper cut in gently. She fixed the two boys with an unreadable look, and gestured towards the door. There's a diner nearby. Why don't we go over and we can discuss whatever matters are at hand over lunch? I'm sure I can supply you with sufficient information."
Jason was about to interrupt and say no, that he didn't trust this pretty girl one bit, but Percy opened his stupid mouth before Jason could intervene.
"Okay! Lunch sounds great actually!"
Jason had a really bad feeling about this.
