Title: Sector Three

Chapter: 10/? Letter From The Unknown Pt. 2

Summary: Percy Jackson was the definition of normal. In just a few minutes, with a crazy Algebra teacher, a tranquilizer gun, a secret keeping classmate, and a box of white pills, all that changed. Now Percy's been targeted by one of the biggest terrorist organizations in the world, determined to make his life hell, and the worst part? He didn't even know why. AH/AU

Major Characters Introduced: Death Breath and Eyepatch Dude

This was a bad idea.

Everyone has two conscience. One was an angel, dressed in white and tells you to do good against all odds. One was a devil, dressed in red and tempting you to give into your sins.

In Percy's case, both of those consciences were telling him it was a bad idea.

Yet he can't stop his feet from walking towards the night stand, picking a backpack issued from CHB. He also couldn't stop his hands from grasping the doorknob and twisting it and pulled it from its hinge. He definitely couldn't help it as he walked silently down the Sector Six corridor, passing by a room that clearly marked Operative Chase, and felt the pang of guilt.

And anger. Why couldn't Annabeth just agree that they needed to get his mom? He thought they were friends. Wouldn't she be more supportive of him? If it was her mother at sake, Percy was sure that she'd jump on board to help immediately.

Suppressing the fury, he made his way towards the elevator. The night guards sat in their position at the circulation desk, looking relatively bored. It was a blonde guy, Malcolm, Percy thought. What lie could he tell to get away from here?

"Percy?" Malcolm rubbed his eyes. "It's, what, midnight?"

"Almost." He shrugged, sweating buckets and hoping he's at least a half-decent liar. Whatever, if Malcolm is half as smart as Annabeth, he'd be able to see through Percy in a second. "Just going up to visit Grover, you know."

Malcolm rubbed his hand anxiously. "Gee, Annabeth told me to keep an extra eye on you, in case you try to sneak out."

His heart sank.

"We all want to get your mom back, Perce, but we just can't." Malcolm sighed. "Try to unde-"

"No!" He flipped out. "I can't just understand why you wouldn't help be go after her. We have a location, we have a note, why don't we just circle the entire premise and take them out."

"We don't have information or-"

"Or you're just being stupid!" He yelled. "For a intelligence Sector, you're all really douchebags!"

Malcolm glow red, for a second Percy wondered if he crossed a line. He didn't care, obviously, since neither of his conscience seemed to be working at this late hour. A moment later, Malcolm's silence became quite awkward.

"Mal?" He leaned forward. "Umm…"

He poked Malcolm on the shoulder, to his surprise, the Six kid promptly dropped on the desk.

"Uhh…" Percy mumbled. "That's not what you want to happen."

But it happened to be exactly what he wanted. Apparently he had a guardian angel somewhere. Malcolm must be really out of it if he suddenly dropped down in the middle of a shift. Even so, it didn't seem quite natural.

Percy couldn't shake the feeling something was watching him as he pressed the elevator button. Even more so when the power suddenly cut black.

"Damn!" He swore. "What the hell is going on?"

"If you want to get out of here, the main elevator is the worse place to take." A drawling voice spoke out of nowhere.

"Thanks, disembodied voice." Percy mumbled. Was he really hallucinating now? "Now if you could give me some good advice."

Someone stepped out of the shadow, Percy almost did a double take at the figure. A boy, no older than him perhaps, had bags under his eyes so dark that he must've not have slept for days (or, you know, it was just dramatic lighting). He had darkish hair like Percy's own, but eyes that seemed to suck what little light the reception area now had (only Percy's watch, and Malcolm's emergency lights).

"You're just trying to get caught." The boy sighed. He made a turn and looked over his shoulder expectantly. "Well, aren't you going to follow?"

What else could go wrong that night? Percy didn't try to answer that question, instead he just marched ahead.

Besides, it was unlikely that CHB housed serial killers, right?

"So…"

"Don't try to make small talks."

"You're rude."

The boy sighed, and toss back an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I'm not usually on edge, but first mission, you know."

"Ummm…" Percy paused. "Not really?"

The boy stopped so quickly that Percy bumped into him. He noticed that the leather jacket the boy wore was not exactly all leather. There were some metals hidden underneath that he didn't dare question about.

"You're not Operative Cameron." The boy asked. He winced like he already knew the answer.

"No. Operative Jackson, technically, but I'm not even sure if that applies."

The boy smacked his head to his forehead. "Damn it, I should've known something was up when Mal wouldn't let you pass security. I figured it was some sort of weird test."

"Not to be rude." Percy wondered. "But...umm...who are you?"

The boy stared with those onyx eyes that did not make Percy felt like he passed through a ghost. "Would you believe me if I said Bob?"

"I doubt it."

"Fine." The boy sighed. "I'm Nico di Angelo. Operative of Sector Thirteen. Today was a big deal, guess all it takes is for a newbie to ruin it."

His mind buzzed, from admiration of a young boy going on a mission, or perhaps from the insult. "Hey, I've been here for a while!"

"Are you even claimed?"

The hallway was so silent that a cough from a nearby dorm could be heard.

"That's what I thought." The boy, Nico, sighed. "Well, let's hear it, why are you out here so late."

He paused. Could he really trust this Nico kid, who wouldn't even tell him his name on first sight? Then again, Annabeth and Malcolm both made really good points about backup and plans, and if Nico is has handle with weapons as he is at concealing them in his jacket…

"I'm looking for my mom." Percy admitted.

"Try the dorms."

"She's at Central Park, being held captive by the Titans."

Nico's eyes widened immediately. Was it just his imagination, or did a gleam of curiosity shine through them?

"So you've got to be a big deal for them to keep your mother alive." Nico inquired.

"I doubt it." Percy sighed. "They likely only want her to get through to the CHB in general." When Nico paused, he elaborated. "That's what Annabeth said."

At the sound of her name, even from his own tongue, Percy felt the urge to punch a library or something. She's sound asleep in her bed while he's with some random kid, trying to fight for his mom. How messed up was that? Percy never thought he'd ever need to go on missions, but up until a few hours ago, he had been sure the only person he would go on one with was Annabeth.

"Dude." Nico looked a little taken back. "Is that your girlfriend or something?"

Percy blinked. "No."

"Do you want her to be?"

He studied Nico. He couldn't be older than fifteen, but that's old enough to start being interested in girls, right? Was the anger he felt still towards Annabeth now?

"Listen, I'm not after her." Nico admitted. "Or any girls, actually." As an after thought, he continued. "Training keeps me busy."

"Oh." Percy paused. "What does Sector Thirteen do, exactly?"

A shadow crossed Nico's face. Suddenly he went from slightly sarcastic teen to the demon's lord. "Stealth, mainly, but we do a lot of training with Five."

He had the hint that this wasn't all Nico di Angelo was about.

"Anyways!" Nico changed the subject abruptly. "Central Park?"

"I'm sorry?"

"You wanted to save your mom, right?" Nico asked. "Well, you're going to need some backup."

Nico wasn't particularly chatty after this. Percy described this as 'the zone'. He had seen the look on Annabeth many times during training, when she's so concentrated in completing the mission that sometimes she forgets who she's up against. This resulted in several bruising patterns on Percy's chest.

Okay, or maybe they were caused when Annabeth hit him when he made the wrong joke. It wasn't his fault that his new friend had the strength of a professional wrestler.

Nico looked lightweight, but Percy learnt not to underestimate someone's strength based on their looks. Age wise, di Angelo must've been the youngest operative that Percy had met so far. This raised the question, how young did CHB recruit them?

Him being sixteen was already too old. What was Nico's age when he started learning how to pick a lock?

All good questions as Nico wedged open a door on the far side of the Sector Six, through a labyrinth of hallways that he couldn't even begin to retrace.

"Here's the stairs." Nico slid the lethal looking knife back into his pocket as if it was gum. "Be careful, the Fives are light sleepers."

Percy shrugged and started climbing, take extra care when he reached the next flight of stairs. Four was no problem, and then there was Three…

It was crazy the amount of security it needed. Even passing by the Sector required hand-prints and sensors that Percy couldn't begin to describe. Nico, however, had plugged in a computer drive to the machine, and everything started turning off.

"That's got to come in handy." Percy stared.

"Thank you Valdez." Nico breathed. "He's annoying as hell, but pretty awesome when it comes to mechanics."

It dawned to Percy the next morning that he had broke international security while in a internationally secured spy agency, but only because someone had scolded him for doing so.

Then they were in the lobby. More hallways as they reached a set of stairs that apparently took them to a swanky club just outside of the Central Park area, only then did Percy bother to start talking.

"What are you going to do if you don't show up are your next mission?" He asked Nico.

"They can try to punish me." Nico snorted. "It worked so well last time."

That was a bit of an arrogant statement, coming from a skinny fourteen year old. But then Nico took out a freakin' gun, and Percy started hyperventilating.

"Oh gods, this is happening." He breathed. "It looks more deadly than on a TV screen."

"It's for defense, not offense." Nico locked something into gear. "Move forward."

Now he was sure that Annabeth had been correct. He needed backup. As for Nico di Angelo? Not the first person he'd pick, but not the last either.

Percy took a deep breath and started crossing the street to his mother with a gun holding teenage spy at his side.

Something about New York after dark felt like it was washed by starlight and magic. Though all Percy could see now was a band of people dressed in black, sitting by a campfire.

There was no woman among them, he almost wanted to cry.

"They're not going to have the hostage displayed in a crowded New York hotspot." Nico whispered. "Likely, they're not looking for a fight, but more negotiation."

"Well, what do they want with me?"

"Can't say." Nico shrugged. "You're not particularly valuable."

"Hey!"

"Shut up."

The men in black (goddamn it his life was now a movie) turned over in unison, very much looking like gang. Compared to the twitching Percy and his deadly fourteen year old partner in crime, they might as well be the Mafia.

Even as Percy looked closer, they must only be young adult men.

So now the Titans only recruited teenagers as well?

"Percy Jackson." Their leader came forward. He had short black hair cut up military style, and a crude eyepatch that looked to be sewed by someone...well, with only one eye.

"Hey." He said casually. All the way from the Empire State Building, he muttered to himself to not be intimidated. If Nico was right and this was a negotiation, he's got to keep his head calm.

"I see you brought a friend." The man's one eyes turned onto Nico.

"I don't recall that to be illegal." Percy dared to stare him down. "The more the merrier, right?"

The leader snarled.

"Not a people person, all right then." He whistled to himself. "Where's my mother?"

"Can't say that I know." He shrugged. "Our boss has her around here somewhere, but as a precaution, even if you threaten to kill me, I can't tell you where she is." His brown eyes rolled towards Nico. "And oh yeah, you're thinking about it."

"Stand back." Percy told his friend. Nico shouldn't get in the crossfire just because he sought after the wrong guy for the mission.

"You're delusional." Nico growled. At who, Percy wasn't sure. "What do you want?"

"A simple trade." The man smirked. "Your mother for yourself."

"What."

"You're quite valuable to our mission, Percy, and we'd love to have you join our team."

He simply stared blankly. It was mind-boggling! On one hand, Clarisse had often reminded him times and times again that he was in no shape to spy for anyone. On another, Nico had just recently called him invaluable. Lastly, the Titans thought that they could recruit him.

"That's why you sent a monster agent after me?" Percy raised his voice. "Good recruitment program, it just barely killed me."

The man smirked. "And what's better? Having to realize your best friend is a grown man? That your mother was a secret spy?"

The last part made something snap within him. "Don't you talk about my mother! You don't know her!"

"Considering I had the pleasure of interrogating her for the past weeks, oh yeah, I think I know her." He hollered. "It's a simple choice. Do you think your life is worth more than your mother's?"

"You clearly think it is me." Percy narrowed his eyes. What was this guy playing at?

"But what about you? You can go now and leave and we'll never bother you, but Sally Jackson on the other hand…"

Percy didn't even register when it had happened, but all of the sudden his hands were locked around this guy's neck. He recalled when he whined to Annabeth about the stupid drills he did, and how she would always taunt back, it'll come in handy soon enough. Guess he'll have to thank her.

If he made it out alive.

Although the strangling had caused a momentary distraction, but Percy had seemed to have forgotten about the other lackeys Eyepatch Dude had. They were on him like syrup on pancake in two seconds, pulling him off. Percy writhed against their grasp, even tried to kick a guy in the balls before someone bit him in the arm.

Monster agents were right. Percy gritted his teeth, but didn't give them the satisfaction of hearing him cry. He could see Nico in the shadows, firing his gun at anything that moves with expertise. Thankfully, his shots were measured enough that they only hit arms, legs, and joints, no where near the heart.

Someone grabbed his neck, Percy tried to elbow the person in the back, but the effort was useless. What's a sixteen year old against a group of well-trained agents?

Soon enough he was secured by the wrists and ankles. All Percy could do now was to sneer at the Eyepatch Dude. Nico was not yet compromised, but a gun that suddenly pressed against Percy's temples made him miss a step.

Just enough for Eyepatch Dude to snatch him up, and press another gun at his throat.

"One. More. Move." He threatened.

Nico did not look afraid despite the odds, but Percy was freaking out. Annabeth was right, he went without back-up and now he was captured within five minutes. Could he even still dream of his mom's freedom? And what about his own?

What did the Titans want with him anyways?

"Nakumura!" A voice hollered from behind him. "Did the fun start before me?"

"Boss." One of Eyepatch Dude's lackeys reported. "Jackson just started fighting, we d…"

"Save it Jack." The Boss sneered. "I wasn't talking to you."

He rounded up in front of Percy. In the dim lights, he was vaguely aware of the blonde hair under a black cap. He looked half familiar though, as if from an old photograph, or…

His eyes widened, suddenly the blue eyes was revealed to him.

"Percy Jackson, it's nice to meet you." The Boss said. "I'm Luke Castellan."