Chapter 2- Kill List
The Stoll brothers were officially on the top of her kill list. Persephone had decided that before she had even travelled five steps out of the empire state building. The camp van was nowhere in sight and she rolled her eyes, beginning the long trek to her mother's apartment. It was on the outer edges of the city, nicer than the last but they were still not rich by any means.
"Where is a lovely lady like you going on such a beautiful morning?" Persephone groaned, glaring at the man as he fell into step beside her.
"I'm not interested." she growled, speeding up. Her breath hitched when the man kept pace with her.
"You should come with me, I know just the place for a young lady such as yourself." he grabbed her arm and she swung her other arm around, punching him in the nose and quickly shaking her hand out.
"You little-" he lunged at her, holding his nose in one hand and swinging his other arm with the other. Persephone nimbly stepped out of the way.
"I said I wasn't interested." she snarled, "Now leave me alone." she spun on her heel and continued down the street, grumbling as she looked back and saw the man still following her, although this time at a distance. "Great, now I have a stalker." she rolled her eyes and turned the corner, deciding to lead the man on the chase of his lifetime. Just as she was about to jog though, a man appeared beside her.
"Good morning Persephone." his cheerful voice startled her and she paused, spinning to look at him
"Lord Hermes." she bowed to the god while keeping an eye on the guy following her. He had also paused and was now pretending to look at a newspaper. His nose had a thin stream of blood dripping from it.
"Is that man following you?" Hermes followed her gaze and watched as the man turned the page of his newspaper, glancing up at them several times as he did so.
"Yeah, I told him I wasn't interested and socked him in the nose, I digress though, what are you doing here?"
"Oh, I had some free time this morning and figured I'd come down to the city for a cup of coffee, there's this place I absolutely love," he paused "Would you care to join me?"
"I better not, I don't want to give Uncle Z an aneurism." she began walking again and he surprisingly fell into stride beside her.
"No worries, he doesn't keep track of me, I'm not very important to him." he shrugged when she gave him a sorrowful look.
"Well I'm sure he keeps track of me or he has someone keeping track of me." she murmured, glancing behind her to see that the man was now heading in the opposite direction. "Thank you for the help Lord Hermes."
"Please, just Hermes." he put his hands in his pockets as if he had no care in the world "Dionysus is supposed to be keeping track of you, but" he gave her a knowing glance "We all know how that goes."
"He told me that Argus was picking me up, but that he may never have gotten the message so to just be back on Olympus by six," she paused "And 'Don't get killed'" she mocked his voice and Hermes snickered.
"Oh yeah, that sounds like him." Hermes rolled his eyes "Definitely gets to the point, doesn't care about much," he paused "Or makes it seem like he doesn't."
"True, he seems very soft hearted, just has a tough exterior." she paused "So where exactly are we going?"
"Ah, so you've decided to join me have you?" Hermes grinned as she shrugged her shoulders.
"Nothing else to do." she paused "Do they have decaf, cus you definitely do not want to see me on caffeine." Hermes chuckled as she said this and gave her a thumbs up.
"Yes, they have a good decaf coffee." the walked a few blocks in a peaceful silence. Percy kept an eye out for danger, looking behind them often.
"You've tried it?" Percy glanced at him in surprise. Hermes shrugged his shoulders,
"A few times," he paused "Caffeine doesn't really affect me so decaf, caf, it means nothing whether I drink regular or decaf."
"So why do you drink it?" she questioned, shaking her head in confusion and looking behind them once again. "Scratch that, there's a monster following us."
"They won't attack while I'm here." he wrapped his arm around her, "Just chill, your fear scent will attract even more."
"Wonderful." she rolled her eyes, stiffening under his arm. Hermes gave her an apologetic smile,
"My scent overpowers yours, monsters won't come close." he paused and looked behind them, glaring.
"They don't really care about that." Percy grumbled, feeling for anaklusmos in her pocket. Her shoulders were still stiff and Hermes frowned at her.
"You really don't like human contact do you?" he lifted his arm from her shoulder and tugged lightly on her elbow, entering a coffee shop.
"Why do you say that?" her voice grew defensive as he strolled easily up to the counter. Hermes glanced behind him at her, lips twitching as he held up a finger for her to wait.
"I'd like two of your specialty decaf," he leaned in closer "Add a shot of nectar to both please, thank you."
"Wait," Percy glanced between the boy who took the order and Hermes. Hermes just shrugged and began walking to a booth in the corner that looked out onto the street. It was well worn, but cozy looking. Hermes went to take the seat facing the door,
"Uh, could I-" she gestured towards the seat and realization dawned in his eyes as he quickly flipped around so his back was facing the shop. Percy shot him a grateful glance as she slid into the booth, able to monitor the entire place from where she sat.
"As I said before, you really don't like human contact," he paused as she began messing with the salt shaker "I've noticed it with the demigods, you avoid contact at all costs. And then just now, you stiffened."
"Yeah," she shrugged and poured a bit of salt onto the table, brushing it together into a thin line as she did so. "I kind of have always done that." she ducked her head and focused on the salt, forming different shapes with ease. Hermes slowly reached out his hand and brushed the salt away, forcing her to look up at him.
"Why do you do that?" Hermes face was open, gentle, and sincere. Enough so that Percy leaned back in her seat and folded her arms.
"It's really common knowledge around camp anymore, I'm surprised you haven't heard it." she shrugged her shoulders "My ex step father used to beat me." Hermes stiffened when she said the words, eyes growing dark as his body tensed as if shocked. "Really, I'm over it." she shrugged again and gave him a small smile. Hermes was frozen though, staring at her.
"Here you go, two specialty decaf's." the boy from behind the counter put a drink in front of each of them and quickly walked away. The smell of the coffee seemed to shake Hermes out of his stupor cus he shook his head quickly and relaxed a little.
"Percy-" he paused, staring down at his drink for several long seconds before looking up at her "I am sorry." his voice had an edge to it that it hadn't had before.
"It's fine, really." she looked out the window and took a deep breath, "I have nightmares some nights still, but they're less and less frequent. Mostly it's just human contact anymore." she snorted "I can' believe i just told you that." she shook her head and took a drink of her coffee.
"I'm glad you did." Hermes voice was still rough and she frowned, setting her coffee down.
"Hermes, seriously, it's fine." she leaned forward and punched his shoulder "Chill, drink you coffee." she ordered.
"Right," he startled, as if noticing the coffee in front of him and took a drink. "Come on, let's go for a walk." he stood and she quickly followed, frowning.
"Don't we have to pay?"
"Nah, it's on me and they know where to charge." he pushed through the door quickly and she took another sip of her coffee as she followed. It was hot, but had a hint of blue chocolate chip cookies taste in it.
"How much of this should I drink, seeing as I'm a demigod." she was already beginning to feel the affects, energy coursing through her veins and her vision seemed heightened.
"There's not enough for it to register for long in your body so even if you were in need of nectar in, oh say, three hours, you'd be able to have what you need without thinking about this."
"Weird." she kept pace with him easily and he glanced at her
"What's weird?"
"After Tartarus, nectar and ambrosia haven't had that much of an affect on me. It's harder to heal." Hermes looked at her in surprise as she said this and she shrugged.
"That is really weird." He murmured something that she didn't catch under his breath. Then "How much ambrosia did you eat down there?" Percy shrugged and looked up at the surrounding buildings.
"Honestly we didn't have a ton of stuff when we fell, just what was on us." she paused and looked over at Hermes. There was silence for several minutes and Percy could tell he was cooking up some sort of question. They had made surprisingly good time on the streets with their faster walking speed.
"Why did you refuse to let go of Athena's daughter?" Hermes paused "You could have saved yourself a lot-"
"I know/" Percy snapped, then her face gentled "Annabeth is," she paused "Annabeth was my best friend. We were each other's mirrors. I couldn't let go of her hand because it went against everything in me." she shrugged, eyes growing dark. Hermes took several steps, rubbing his face tiredly and taking a sip of coffee.
"What happened between you two?" Hermes questioned, noticing her change in words and tone of voice.
"Her brain didn't let her comprehend Tartarus and she didn't believe what I told her." Percy paused, voice growing soft "She thinks I said things to claim fame."
"Wow." Hermes took another sip of coffee, looking over at her with shocked eyes. "You can't catch a break, can you?"
"Hades no." she snorted, then ducked her head "Sorry Hades." Hermes caught the words and smirked.
"You know your his favorite niece right?" Hermes grinned when her sorrowful look exchanged for a shocked one.
"Uh, what?" She blinked several times, pausing mid step to turn towards him, Hermes was still grinning, but now it was wider.
"Yeah! Pretty awesome," he paused "Hey, where we heading anyways?" Hermes frowned, suddenly unfamiliar with the area. Percy rolled her eyes.
"We're near my mom's apartment." she took a sip of her coffee and he gave her a sideways look.
"I knew you grew up in New York, but I had no idea you still lived here, isn't it kind of dangerous?"
"Yeah, it's extremely dangerous." Percy shrugged "That's why I keep my visits short. I don't want to attract unwanted attention." she looked longingly ahead of them and Hermes paused.
"You should go see her." he noticed her stiffen slightly and decided not to continue, instead watching her carefully.
"I haven't visited since before-" her voice cracked and she cut off. Closing her eyes momentarily. "I don't know how to explain." she paused "I've iris messaged her, but-"
"Come on, we'll go together." he touched her shoulder lightly and was surprised to see that she didn't stiffen this time. She looked down the street, back where they had come from.
"I guess I have to go at some point." she paused "I'm just afraid of the fear I'll see."
"I know, that's why I'm going to come with you." they began walking again and there was silence for several more minutes as she led him to a nicer apartment building in an older part of the city.
"Come on, it's on the third floor." she led him through the door and up several flights of stairs. They entered a nice, carpeted hallway and she paused before one of the doors. Hermes watched her for several seconds as she just stared at it.
"Are you going to knock?" his voice must have been louder than he thought, because the door flung open and Percy was enveloped into the tight, loving hug that only a mother could give. Percy held her in an equally tight hug, burying her face into her mother's shoulder. Hermes stood off to the side, watching them for a moment before he noticed a man standing inside.
"You must be Paul Blofis." Hermes stepped around the reunion and into the apartment to shake hands with the man.
"Yes, and you are?" He was sizing Hermes up, but the god didn't mind, instead glancing back at Percy.
"Hermes, son of Maia." Percy opened her eyes to look at him when he used his mother's name instead of his father's, startled.
"Oh!" Sally finally let go of Percy, pulling her into the apartment and shutting the door behind him "It is nice to meet you, my lord." she began to bow, but Hermes put out a hand to stop her.
"Please, no bowing." his voice was soft and Percy could tell he was uncomfortable.
"I'm sure you have stuff to do, you can go if you need to." she hinted, watching as he glanced around the room. Instead of answering, he wandered over to a few picture frames and picked one up.
"Is this you as a kid?" he pointed to the little girl in the picture. She was in a dance costume, a grin stretched wide across her face. Percy smiled softly. It was one of the good lapses in time that she had had in her childhood.
"Yes, that's her." Sally smiled, walking over. "She was five in that picture and was so excited about her dance recital. She must have rehearsed every minute of every day when she heard she had a solo-" she went on for several more minutes and Percy turned towards Paul
"I'm sorry I disappeared for such a long time-" she paused, not sure what her mom had told him. Paul reached forward and pulled her into a hug.
"I'm just glad your alive and okay." he pulled back to look her in the eye "You are okay, right?"
"Yeah," she paused, glancing over at Hermes and her mom "I mean, some days are harder than others, but I'm surviving."
"You take your time okay, don't be signing up for any more wild quests for a while." he smiled softly at her and Percy nodded.
"I've got a different job now, guarding Olympus at night." her lips twitched and her mom turned towards her.
"That must be a tough job." she countered, watching her daughter carefully before sending an accusatory glance towards Hermes.
"Not as hard as some of the jobs I've had." she fingered the coffee still in her hands and Sally noticed it.
"That better not have had caffeine." she warned, but her eyes were light and laughing. Percy grinned at her,
"I've learned my lesson, don't worry." she paused "Come on, I'm sure you have plenty more stories to tell," she turned towards Hermes "And you haven't tried blue chocolate chip cookies until you try my mother's." she pulled him into the kitchen, going on and on about how delicious they were as Paul pulled Sally against him and they followed the two into the kitchen.