A Sharky Situation
Percy and Annabeth dropped to the sea, feet first, with a loud splash. They were holding hands when they went in the water, but the impact of their fall was too strong that they lost hold of each other. And because they dropped from a very high altitude, they plunged deep into the sea, and Annabeth opened her eyes and found herself a few feet away from a big shark, her hand almost touching its tail. . . before she frantically pushed her feet to surge upwards, desperately coming up for air.
Sputtering, her head came out of the water, and Percy, who was able to went up for air earlier than her, was quick to get a hold of her.
"Annabeth! Are you alright, babe?" he asked her urgently, wanting to know if she suffered any injury from the fall.
Catching her breath, she replied, pointing to the water under her, "Yes, sweetie, I'm fine, I'm fine. But, there's a shark underneath us! A shark! I almost touched it!"
Percy dipped his head under to see if it was true. Once he resurfaced he laughed in relief, "We're all good, baby. That's a whale shark you're pointing to, they're bottom feeders, they don't eat people, so we're safe. C'mon, let's float along the side of the ship. They might see us."
Suddenly, they heard voices from where they came from. Hurriedly, Percy told her, holding her hand, "We'll have to stay underwater, under the ship, so they won't see us. Ready?"
She nodded, and Percy pulled her under, and just in the nick of time, because a deluge of bullets hit the water. Safe in the shelter of the ship floor above them, Maine watched horribly as the bullets continued to spray in the water almost endlessly. She could feel herself out of breath. Percy, seeing her, put his mouth over hers and breathed some air into her. Thankfully, after that, the gunshots stopped.
Percy motioned her to follow his example on how to come up for air. He tentatively lifted his chin up from the water, still being careful to stay at the under sides of the ship, then sucked air slowly. Annabeth followed suit. Their heads floating till just under their mouth, they heard the sound of voices and feet fade away.
Percy found a deep dent on the ship and grabbed on to it so the waves won't carry them away. He reached out for Annabeth as she stuggled to stay afloat, "Hold on to me." Annabeth nodded, Throwing her arm over Percy's shoulder and he held on to her waist as held on to the small ledge, cautiously avoiding creating ripples to the water as much as possible.
All of a sudden, Annabeth said, "There's another shark," although this time, in a very calm way.
"Huh? Where?" Percy asked, his eyes looking around.
Annabeth smiled and turned to face him, putting her arms around his neck. "YOUR shark, Mr. Jackson."
Percy grinned sheepishly, his sea-green eyes sparkled naughtily. "Sorry, can't help it," he said, sounding the least bit sorry and pulling her closer to him and letting her feel more of his evident 'shark'.
"Well, I would like to meet that shark, but I hope on a proper bed. But for now, will a kiss do?" giggling, Annabeth said, as her mouth pressed in to his. Tasting the salty seawater and their smoldering passion for each other as and they clung onto each other's heated body, their minds briefly shutting off for a few seconds the danger they are still presently facing.
Speaking in a controlled, hoarse voice afterwards, Percy told her, "I could take you here, right now, if only there were no people in that damn ship. What a honeymoon this turned out to be, huh?"
Annabeth said gloomily, "Yeah, it sucks." Then, her eyes widening, she pointed at the other end of the ship. "Percy, look!"
Percy turned to look and saw a speedboat tied at the end of the ship. He motioned Annabeth to swim towards it as he did. When they got to the side of the speedboat, they saw a man with an armalite rifle sitting there, his back to them. Apparently he's waiting for someone to come aboard.
Stealthily, careful not to make a sound, Percy got out of the water and climbed into the speedboat, surprising the man from behind by pinning him in a choke hold. Seconds later the guard fainted and fell down to the floor with a thud. Still keeping low, Percy checked the controls, thankfully the boat is full of gas.
He helped Annabeth on board, telling her to get the start the engine while he dumps the guard back in the cargo hold. Annabeth did as she was told and went on to the controls. She started the ignition then slowly advanced the boat, only to see that it was tied to an iron bar protruding from the ship. Percy saw this and quickly untied the knot, just as three armed men came out of the nearest door. They saw him and started running towards the boat.
Percy hurriedly went back to the control seat where Annabeth was behind the wheel and told her to go. She nodded and pushed the throttle forward, causing the boat to lurch ahead. Percy lost his balance and fell backwards onto the sofa seat while the rifle slid across the floor to the backside of the speedboat, which, being on auto mode, fired off bullets in the direction of the three armed men, who scampered like rats on the deck, before the gun fell into the water. By then, Annabeth had maneuvered the boat a few meters away from the ship.
Annabeth then set the motor to full speed, and thankfully, they were out of shot when more armed men came out to the ship's deck, who couldn't do anything but watch them propel away to their freedom. After seemingly endless hours of travelling, they saw a port ahead, just when the sun was setting in the horizon. Annabeth killed the motor, careful not to attract attention, as the port is full of people of different races, in addition to a myriad of assorted kinds of ships.
Stopping behind a modern houseboat, Percy told her, "We have to leave the boat here. I know that by now, they would be hunting us. We have to change clothes to be incognito and I have to call my dad."
Climbing up at the end side of the houseboat, they saw it was empty. Percy picked the lock and they went inside. They saw pictures of a happy, sea-travelling American couple, the houseboat's owners. In the bedroom closet, they took clothes that fit them. Percy changed into a hooded sweatshirt, rugged jeans and sneakers, while Annabeth wore a white long-sleeved shirt, black jeans, tennis shoes, and donned a blue NYC baseball cap over her blonde hair. Annabeth also took some cash, noting that they were Korean Won. Based on the flyers scattered on the table, they realized they have arrived at Port Busan, the largest port in South Korea.
Percy saw the built-in cord phone and immediately dialed his dad's number. He quickly briefed his dad on what happened, asking where Fredrick might be. Poseidon said he called a few hours ago and he knew already that they were kidnapped, but for what reason he cannot divulge over the phone. They would meet tomorrow somewhere in Canada because Fredrick has left the island estate and had gone into hiding.
Then, abruptly, they both heard a soft click. Poseidon instantly knew his phone was being bugged.
Hurriedly, he told Percy, "Son, proceed to Seoul and catch a flight. Then go to the place where we took you to your first out-of-country vacation when you were eighteen years old, do you remember?"
"I remember, Dad," Percy replied, comprehending the situation. They said their goodbyes and Percy put down the phone. He knew it was a matter of time before Khione's men arrive at the houseboat. Quickly scanning the flyers, he grabbed Annabeth's hand and they ran out of the houseboat, to Busan Train Station. Using the Korean Won they got from the houseboat, Percy purchased tickets and they rode the train, seating at the farthest end of the last car.
Once settled inside the cubicle, Annabeth asked Percy, "Why don't we go to the Embassy first? Maybe they can help us."
Shaking his head, he replied, "We can't take chances, babe. I think Dad's phone was bugged. And based on the cargo ship we escaped from, Khione has ties with an international organized crime group. They would have people everywhere. Right now, we can't trust anybody."
Her face growing sad, she said, "What do you think my dad has that they want? He is just a businessman who worked his way up from poverty."
He frowned, "I hate to say this, but, I don't think anyone can get that kind of rich in that short a time by just getting into business, Annabeth. Somehow, he had help from something or someone."
Annabeth sighed sadly. But Percy was quick to add, "B-but . . . It doesn't mean he's a bad person, sweetie. Whatever this is all about, I am sure he has a pretty good explanation."
"I know. I just wish he'd said something about this to me, instead of learning it from. . . that." Her face contorted in irritation.
"Don't tell me you're still jealous of her?" Percy can't help but smile. "And where did you pick up those words? You were like a dragon breathing fire!"
"No, not jealous anymore. I hate her now. And I say awful words that are deserving of the people I say them to."
Percy tipped her chin and kissed her softly, lingering and nibbling on her lower lip. "You look beautiful when you're angry, but more beautiful when you smile. Smile for me, please."
Annabeth did and whispered, "I love you, Percy."
"I love you too, Annabeth," he whispered back, kissing her gently on the forehead. "Don't worry, we'll be safe soon."
Then, turning off the headlight above them, he told her, "We will arrive at Seoul in about three hours. You should take a nap and rest, it's been a long day, Annabeth. I'll watch over you."
Annabeth smiled and snuggled onto Percy's side before falling in a deep slumber.
...
Arriving at the Seoul station, they made their way out, Annabeth tipped her cap low and Percy raised his hood over his head, going with the flow of the people alighting from the train. Once outside, they walked quickly on the platform, hand in hand, eyes wandering around.
Annabeth gasped, as she pulled on Percy's hand. "Percy, that. . . that woman over there!"
Percy looked around, "What woman?"
"There, sitting on the bench up ahead. That's the cleaning lady from the inn! She tried to kill me back in Japan!"
Sure enough, the cleaning lady, who is again dressed in a gray business suit is seated a few feet away from them, on a bench just outside one of the exit doors leading to the streets of Seoul.
Hastily, the young couple turned back, but not before she saw them and shouted, "STOP!"
Percy and Annabeth ran to the other end of the platform, bumping into people on their way, inevitably creating a commotion. Annabeth tripped, causing her to stumble down and lose her hold of Percy. The sea of people immediately set them apart from each other, and she fought and cleared her way through them, only to find him a few minutes after, being arrested by the Seoul police, their guns pointed at him.
Percy saw her, met her eyes and shook his head, warning her not to get any closer and risk being arrested too. She swallowed her fear, walking behind the line of people gathered around Percy and the police, straining her ears to hear the conversation.
She heard one policeman spoke haltingly to Percy in English, "We are arresting you for murder. We found the Millers' bodies in their houseboat in Busan. Where is your wife?"
Annabeth put her hand over her mouth to prevent a loud gasp come out of it. She felt sick to her stomach, imagining the poor couple who owned the houseboat, who had no part to their predicament but were killed because of them. And if they are arrested, she knew they will suffer the same fate.
Thinking quickly, she crunched down to the floor, put her hands to her ears, and shouted at the top of her lungs, "BOMB! BOMB! THERE'S A BOMB! A BOMB!"
Just like that, and the people panicked and bolted, creating stampede, and the police found themselves being dragged away. Percy managed to lose them, and struggled hard to get to where Annabeth was, who was waving her hand over people's heads. At last they found each other again, and they embraced briefly, then jumped down to the railways, away from the direction of the stampede.
After a few meters, at the opposite side of the platform, they climbed up, walking briskly. Again, they saw policemen ahead, showing flyers to people with their photo in it. Percy quickly pulled Annabeth and kissed her, effectively covering their faces as the policemen passed them by. Afterwards, they walked hand in hand towards the exit doors at the other end of the station.
But once outside, they saw more policemen wandering around, this time with police dogs sniffing around. Percy saw Annabeth's ripped silk blouse being used as a scent for the dogs. Annabeth saw it too. Hopelessly, they looked at each other's eyes, knowing it is now only a matter of seconds before the dog catches her scent. Even the darkness of the night will not save them now.
Suddenly, a van stopped in front of them, its rear door opening even before it screeched to a halt. A tall, lean guy with blonde hair and dark gray eyes came out. He gave a lopsided smile and held out his hand.
"I'm Malcolm. Get in, before the police finds you."