Chapter 1
/:.:\
"Sit yourself down, take a seat
All you gotta do is repeat after me
A B C, easy as one, two, three"
- ABC, The Jackson 5
/:.:\
Annabeth's worried.
"Guys," she sighs. "I have something to tell you."
Annabeth knows her friends won't like this very much. They're not very rational (not like she is anyway). They tend to throw things and damage her apartment so it'll look like a tornado hit or an inhuman animal instead of two women the size of less than 5'9.
Ah, she has wonderful friends.
Hazel straightens. "Are you finally realizing that Piper stole the last cookie and not me?"
"No, I- wait. That was you?" Annabeth points an accusing finger at her best friend.
Annabeth was not prepared for those reactions. Usually, her friends would stop their movements and listen to her because she's that amazing (jk jk), but Piper's still lazily scrolling through her phone even if Annabeth's pointing at her annoyingly and Thalia's jamming to who knows what.
Annabeth isn't annoyed at her best friend much (okay, she knows that's a lie, but whatever), but that cookie was a store-bought one, a really yummy one! If it were microwaved, the chocolate inside of it would melt, making a delicious midnight snack.
(Annabeth loves rummaging through her fridge like an abnormal raccoon at 1 a.m., debating if she should order take-out or eat the one-week-old sandwich she stole from that hotel.)
Piper looks up from her game of sudoku and shrugs. "I was hungry and it looked good. Don't be such a baby."
Annabeth makes an affronted squeaky noise. "I'm not a baby!"
"I'm not a baby!" Piper mimics.
Annabeth sulks. "Well, okay. Don't be so rude."
She doesn't like to be chided by anyone. Especially her friends. Who, are in fact, younger than her. (Except for Thalia, but she acts like an eight-year-old trapped inside a twenty-six years old body, so Annabeth doesn't really count said girl as older.)
She shuffles her pages from the ground where she's sitting, handing them a picture of a man. "I'm going on a mission."
Piper takes a glance at the picture, barely looking at it and hands it to Hazel, then Thalia, who stops bobbing her head and shouts, to which Piper rolls her eyes at, "What! With hi-him?"
"No - to him."
Thalia huffs. "Why my idiot of a cousin?"
"Thals, you're the true idiot who thought your cousin was Beth's partner, even if you know he isn't, believe it or not, part of the agency!" Piper says, rolling her eyes, again.
They've been training for their career in espionage since they knew their parents knew how to kill someone with an uncooked spaghetti noodle. Annabeth's still amazed how they can't contemplate the fact that they're spies, who actually save lives, not for show (sorry, Bond).
"Piper- shut up."
Piper and Thalia never liked each other, so Annabeth's isn't surprised that they won't get along now. It's been going on since they've met, and she and Hazel are tired of their childish behaviours. However, when either girl mentions their hatred, they make up excuses like, "why's the sun so bright!" or "is that gas I smell? I'm out!" or like, "woah! You have freckles!" Point is, their excuses are practically excuses in a nutshell and neither would deny their hatred.
"I'm leaving soon. And you're not even going to have a nice civilized conversation?" Annabeth asks, irked.
No comment.
Hazel, ever the polite one tries to ease the tension and asks, "What'd you have to do on the mission?"
The traitor.
Annabeth gives Hazel the stink eye, whereas Piper and Thalia give her a grateful smile, so she lets the conversation drop. "I'm going to be his sec- it's classified," Annabeth says, matter-of-factly, trying to hide her sudden horror of once again, blurting out a response.
Her friends nod, while Thalia frowns.
They all know not to pry into each others' complicated spy life. Even if they, eh um, Annabeth isn't as secretive as she has to be.
"But why him?" Thalia demands. "He doesn't need you."
Thalia doesn't know that she just insulted her friend. "Yes, he does," Piper says, annoyed at Thalia, like always. "Just because the agency didn't ask for you, doesn't mean you can insult Annabeth! Good god, Thalia, Annabeth's on top of the agency."
Frankly, Annabeth's grateful for her best friend, but she doesn't need Piper to defend herself. "Thanks, Pipes, but -"
Piper sighs. "I know, Annabeth, we've been through this before. You can fight your own battles, ya dee ya daa, but-" Piper's eyes begin to twinkle, which to Annabeth, terrifies her, "he is one of the richest in the world, with forty million followers on Instagram, twenty-nine on Twitter, six million likes on Fac-"
"I don't need his social media status, Pipes. I already have enough of him in my brain from his file." Annabeth tells her exhaustly.
She's also the most tired of all of them. She just spent the last three hours packing for her "biggest mission of her lifetime," according to her boss. However, she just wants to sleep because she has to wake up at 4 am to make it to his empire, or well, his family's, in time. Is that too much to ask? Yeah, sure, she should be excited to be in such close proximity to Percy Jackson, like any other normal twenty-two-year-old girl, but, honestly, she could care less (and also, Annabeth's far from normal (she eats with her hands instead of using utensils, because she claims it to be "saving the planet, because hashtag, global warming is coming", but in fact, she's wasting more water by washing her hands than washing the utensils.)).
Except he's really cute. Like really.
Shut up, mind.
See? Thalia's cousin is already affecting her mind.
Piper sighs, exasperated. "Would it kill you to even say his name?"
Annabeth blinks innocently. "Yes."
"Oh my god."
And she faints.
Not really. Piper may be dramatic, but she proceeds on lying on Annabeth's bed, taking more than half and almost shoving Annabeth off the bed.
"If you hate this mission so much, then why did you agree?"
Annabeth actually thinks before she blurts out a response. She has a bad habit of blurting out words, and because they're all spies, they have a perfect memory, and yes, they're her best friends since fifth grade except for Thalia who became her best friend after they went on a mission together in Buenos Aires, and even if they do have their best intentions at heart for her, Annabeth doesn't need blackmail at the moment.
She shrugs. "Because my resume is looking utterly terrible."
Thalia's eyes bulge out comically, forgetting that Annabeth is going to work for her cousin. Annabeth would usually make fun of her for that hilarious face, but she's too tired to argue.
And also, she doesn't want a broken rib. Because Thalia can do a killer back-hand punch.
"Your resume is better than all of ours combined, Annie. Is there not a real reason why you chose this mission? Like getting into his pants?" Thalia wiggles her eyes suggestively, then immediately says, "Gross! Why am I shipping you and Percy?"
"NO!"
Annabeth winces, one because she may have shouted too loud, and two, because she answered too late. Hopefully, the neighbours won't file a noise complaint and take pity on her instead.
"Ha! You so do!" Hazel says.
Annabeth's surprise that Hazel said something, she would usually yell out lyrics when any of them mentions sex or anything close to the mating process between two humans. Guess Hazel's not that much of a prude.
Piper rolls her eyes, again. "Thalia, leave her alone. It's not her fault her love life is non-existent."
Annabeth once again lets out an insulting squeaky noise. "Excuse me!"
"With all of my best intentions, of course, just kidding. Love you."
Thalia rolls her eyes. Annabeth sulks to her bed, tired.
"Guys, if you're done insulting me, I'm going to bed; I'm tired. If you want to stay, I suggest you don't insult me. Hazel, can you shut the lights, please?"
Hazel follows through.
"At least Hazel is nicer than all of you, losers."
Hazel beams at the comment.
"Oh shut up, you're stupid," Thalia calls out to Annabeth.
"You're stupider."
"You're the stupidest."
"Well, um, you're face is stupid."
"Would you guys just shut the hell up?"
Silence.
Annabeth yawns. "Well Pipes, I wouldn't be this grumpy if you wouldn't have insulted me."
Piper flicks Annabeth on the forehead where she's lying on the bed.
"Ow!" Annabeth says. "What the hell was that for?"
Piper smiles. And Annabeth is totally creeped out.
Tonight is going to be a long one, she's sure of it.
...
It's 2 am, and Annabeth can't sleep.
She tried everything. But Piper, goddamnit won't stop kicking her. She pondered on voluntarily shoving Piper off the bed, but she thought no, she's not a meanie. But geez, she wishes she had.
And now she has to leave in two hours without sleep.
Spies know you must go on missions where you aren't allowed to sleep for a long time or any in fact. However, Annabeth has a comfy bed and time and is allowed too, but no, her best friend is an ass and had other plans.
"Piper, if you don't freakin' stop kicking me. I'll freakin' shove you and I won't freakin' regret it." Annabeth tries to whisper threateningly.
Her reply was a snore.
And a smirk.
"You're awake!"
Piper's smirk grows wider.
"You- oh my God." Annabeth whisper-shouts. "You brat."
Piper opens an eye. "Thank you."
That wasn't supposed to be a compliment.
"I'm- I'm trying to sleep!"
Piper looks up and her eyes grow mischievously. "Oh, I know."
"You keep on kicking me!" Annabeth cries. "I'm tired! I want sleep!"
"Man up, Chase. You slept in other awful states," Piper replies, thoughtfully.
Annabeth decides enough is enough and screw the other sleepy figures, it's time to take matters into her own hands instead of others, hence she shoves her off the bed.
"Ow!" Piper screeches.
Annabeth grins. Ha, beat that.
"Treats you right."
One point for Team Annabeth, zero points for Team Piper.
"Argh!" Piper shouts.
Surprisingly, none of their best friends are wide awake from their commotion. Thalia, however, isn't a surprise. That girl can sleep through an earthquake.
(Which was proven a fact when an earthquake happened during their training in March.)
Piper gets up and drags Annabeth by the leg, something the victim can't understand, because well, Piper was on the ground in a pile of blankets, and she was on her bed, having a good view of Piper's butt. "Get up you brat."
"Stop!" Annabeth says, petulantly. She just wants to sleep.
"You pushed me off your bed," Piper continues sweetly. "Now, you have to make me breakfast. Wait, scratch that. You suck at cooking."
"Meanie," Annabeth pouts.
"It's true."
Annabeth humphs. "Well, uh, don't be such a meanie."
Piper raises her eyebrows and walks to the kitchen, fixing something to eat.
"Where are you going?" Annabeth calls out, following her.
She enters her small kitchen. It's quite a lovely one. It's perfect for people who can't cook. And it has everything Annabeth needs in her apartment.
It's more of a modern kitchen than anything else, she reckons. There are many smooth wooden cabinets she enjoys touching (most of the time, it's because she has to put out a fire and checks if the wooden surface is still hot or she has to use sandpaper to rid the burnt pieces) and the marble counter is a good size for her minimal cooking. Annabeth loves her kitchen, even if all she does is put something in the microwave, but still.
If apartments could come without kitchens, she'd be absolutely fine. There's take-out and Uber Eats and pre-made for a reason.
"Where are the eggs?" Piper continues, "I'm making you your favourite omelette."
Annabeth approaches her and says cheekily, "You mean, où sont les oeufs?"
Piper touches her forehead. "Oh my god. You're going to be the death of me."
"The eggs should be in the fridge."
Cue eye roll.
"Well, geez Beth. Where else am I supposed to find them?" Piper says sarcastically. "They're not in there!"
Annabeth shrugs. "I guess I ran out?"
"I literally bought you them yesterday."
"I don't know, I think I ate them all." Annabeth lies.
"You can't cook though!"
Annabeth feigns hurt to cover her panic. What Piper doesn't know is that she put the eggs in her sleeping bag to avenge herself after she forced her to wear a shirt that showed half her stomach when they (including Hazel and Thalia) went to a bar. What Piper doesn't know won't hurt her.
However, Annabeth's simple mission failed, because Piper didn't sleep in her sleeping bag. Sometimes Annabeth doesn't know how she herself became a world-class agent.
"I take offence to that."
Piper takes out some cheese and bread and shrugs. "You were meant too." She looks at the cheese. "Beth, this literally expired seven months ago. Do you have any edible food?"
"I have Mr. Noodles?" Annabeth replies sheepishly.
Piper rolls her eyes fondly and smiles. "You nerd."
She knows that her best friend can't cook to save her life.
"I'll make you a mean Mr. Noodle, Annabeth. My treat."
Annabeth beams at her. "I know why I kept you around."
"I thought it was because I have that photo of you from seventh grade that I'm still trying to use as blackmail but you follow me everywhere."
Annabeth smacks her.
"Kidding, kidding."
"This is my apartment," Annabeth says.
"Oh, I know that."
"Brat," Annabeth mutters and sits on the bar-stool by her island and waits until the brat finishes making her Mr. Noodle by playing with her thumbs.
"Are you done yet?" Annabeth asks, looking up from Game 7 of Thumb War with her two thumbs.
"No."
She gets up and checks the food.
"Why does it look- disgusting?" Annabeth looks at her in horror.
Piper rolls her eyes. "It's so it'll be yummy. Duh."
"But why is it green? The noodles look, I- are you trying to kill me?"
"Calm down. It's just spices," Piper says.
"I thought you were poisoning me with your witchcraft, God."
Cue another eye roll from yours truly. "Honestly, I don't know why people think you're mature. You're so immature."
Annabeth sticks out her tongue. Yeah, because she knows she's immature.
"Well, at least I wasn't trying to kill someone." She snarks and walks back to her chair so she wouldn't have to come up with good comebacks when her best friend roasts her.
Annabeth looks around her kitchen. She's going to be gone for a long time. Spies don't know when they'll come home, even if it's the simplest job. She's going to miss them so so much. The people who were always there for her—and still are. Suddenly, she swears those are tears in her eyes and blames it on the stress and lack of sleep.
"I love you," Annabeth says to Piper.
Piper looks up from the pot. "Are you crying?" She doesn't believe her eyes. The great Annabeth Chase is crying. The girl who didn't cry when she got a gunshot wound in her shoulder, calmly punched the man in the ribs, tied him (without using her injured shoulder of course) and waited until Langley or some CIA agents came. Then she proceeded on walking to her car, ignoring her boss' cries of protest.
"No, I have something in my eye," Annabeth says sarcastically. "Of course I'm crying!"
"Well sorry if I don't believe you're crying! You never cry!"
Annabeth sighs. "It's just, I don't know how long I'll be gone. And even if the mission sounds easy, it never is. And I'm-I'm always away. I just came home, and then I'm leaving. And I miss you guys. I want to hang out and stuff and do our regular sleepovers and such, but we can't. Because I'm always away."
Piper walks over to her friend, sits down and holds her hand. "You know we'll be able to visit you."
"I-I know. But it isn't the same," Annabeth continues and they both don't mention the crack in her voice. "I want your snarky replies, Thalia's bruises" - Piper makes a disgusted sound - "shut up, and Hazel's facts more than anything. But when you guys visit me, you guys have to be all posh and stuff or so out of character. It-it's just so annoying and I want to be able to spend time with my best friends before who knows what happens to each other."
Piper squeezes her hand. "We love you, Beth. We know how much you love us. And how much you hate going on back-to-back missions. But we've been best friends since forever, and who would've thought that little Annabeth would become a top spy?" Annabeth laughs dryly. "You-we love you. I love you."
"I know, I know. Thank you for preparing a whole sweet sickly sappy speech for me," Annabeth says.
Piper gets up. "Yup, now I think the noodles are ready." She walks over to the oven. "Now before I give you food, you owe me a favour."
"Mmmhm," Annabeth says. "I'm listening."
Piper smiles evilly. "You have to dirty dance in front of Lucas when you get back from your mission."
Annabeth stares at her in horror. She just delivered her a love-felt speech.
"No, anything Pipes, anything. Please," she begs her best friend.
"The kid likes you."
Said kid likes Annabeth a lot. He liked her since they went on a mission together during her early years of the CIA.
"I know! And I don't want to lead him on!"
"Oh, it's not going to hurt the kid." Piper rolls her eyes. "If you don't really want to do it. You can dirty dance for Percy."
And-
Wait a moment.
"Percy the barista from Starbucks?" Annabeth asks innocently. "Deal."
Percy from Starbucks is Annabeth's good non-spy friend. He was intimidating at first because of his bulky size and features, but he was actually super nice. He's someone who Annabeth can rely on and get normal emotional and mental support. And plus, his daughter is the cutest bean ever.
"No. Percy Jackson."
Oh, what the hell. Annabeth would do anything not to sway her hips in front of her new boss. Because like they say, first impressions are important and last forever. Even more, Annabeth literally cannot dance to save her life (Annabeth tried the floss when they went to a bar one day but it looked like she was having a seizure and everybody moved out of her way when her hands started flinging and she started humping the air. The DJ had to stop the music and politely ask her to leave the dancefloor because everyone was scared for their well-being because no one was sane after watching her dance ("ma'am, I'm sorry, but I think I want death after watching you dance". Thalia was crackling hysterically and claimed that she made everyone sober) and Piper knows it. Annabeth would gladly cut her leg off for Piper if she doesn't need to dance in front of Percy.
"No," Annabeth says.
"Yes," Piper shoots back.
"No," she says again, louder this time.
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
This goes on for quite a while because they forget they're both completely stubborn. Annabeth gives up after three minutes, however.
"Fine," she sighs.
"Yes," Piper says as she dances properly.
"But only to Lucas. No way in hell to Percy, I would rather have death."
"You drive a hard bargain, Ms. Chase," Piper says.
"Is that a yes or no?" Annabeth questions loudly, on purpose.
"Deal."
Piper couldn't help but keep the grin on her face for the rest of the night. The brat.
And because they're a bunch of two-year-olds and completely irresponsible, they both forget about the noodles on the oven and Piper forgot to turn the heat off, so the food is kind of gross, whatever, but luckily they didn't start a fire. They both take a spoonful to try it and it tastes pretty well, but dry. But hey, it's Annabeth's last night before she leaves for a long time mission again so they decide to eat it together in the pot and sit and laugh and talk and cry and just be together as best friends who won't know if the other will come back one last time.
...
"Oh, you must be Madison. Excellent." A woman glances at her, as Annabeth looks up from the hangnail she was picking at the tip of her finger. The woman appeared to be the same age as her but was thinner and taller. Lauren Harper, who's table plaque stated, wore an expensive-looking blouse, much prettier to the one Annabeth bought at Target.
Because, who was she kidding? No way was Annabeth going to wear the one that Piper suggested or the one where her boobs look great ("c'mon Annie, it makes your boob look lively and plump-ier. Oh, who gives a crap if you can see your nipples clearly, this isn't church!") that Thalia recommended, and, being a good spy she was, Annabeth did sneak a blouse that didn't scream 'rich young adult from the hills' or 'she's trying too hard to get laid'. Plus, it was cheap, something that many broke graduate students could only afford, unlike Piper.
However, Annabeth did look inferior to Laurencompared to her frizzy hair and Lauren's straight professional bun, but she knew how to kill Lauren in less than three seconds with the pen in her hand, so like, yeah, who cares.
"I'll be giving you a tour of the office before Mr. Percy Jackson arrives," Lauren says, getting up from her leather office chair and handing Annabeth a coffee.
"Um, thanks?" Annabeth accepts it hesitantly, not knowing if Lauren poisoned it in some way. Annabeth has been extra hesitant about strangers giving her food after an incident that happened in Argentina. Let's just say it involved Annabeth having her stomach pumped out and a sock.
Lauren rolls her eyes as she marches towards the polished elevators across the office. "It's not for you, idiot. I mean Madison; it's for Mr. Jackson."
"Oh," Annabeth replies dumbly, passing the luxurious, minimalist sectional couches in the foyer of the high-rise empire, located spang center of New York's most densely borough. She nearly trips over her high heels as she tries to keep up with Lauren.
"Every morning when Mr. Jackson arrives at approximately 9 am, you ought to give him an Italian-roasted cappuccino with two shots of espresso. Lots of sugar. Along with a blueberry muffin if you want to keep your job," Lauren tells her.
Annabeth blinks. "Ought?"
Her trainer rolls her eyes. "'Ought?' Didn't you learn what it means from school? It means to show-"
"I know what 'ought' means. I just thought, that, um, no one uses it anymore."
"Sure you do," Lauren mutters under her breath.
Annabeth does know what 'ought' means. It's just, it's an old word. A really old word.
And like, who the hell would use ought.
Annabeth quickly writes the information down in her small flip notebook she bought at Walmart - even if she doesn't need to, her memory is perfect - but she's new, and she felt like every newbie secretary would copy information down.
Walking over to the elevators, Lauren presses the UP button with a manicured finger and bickers Annabeth to come over as she stopped to stare at the windows. "You better be good. I don't want to get fired because of you." Lauren proceeds on walking inside the elevator, not waiting for Annabeth to walk inside.
Annabeth rushes inside the elevator right as Lauren selects the floor.
Once inside, Annabeth conversationally asks Lauren what she does besides training secretaries and handling the social media accounts of Thalia's cousin's family's business.
"I'm Poseidon Jackson's personal assistant," she says, beaming with hubris. "I'm only showing you around because he requested his son's new secretary transition was as smooth as possible. His son really fancied his old secretary."
"What happened to her?" Annabeth blurts out, too curious in her boss' drama than embarrassing herself in front of Lauren.
Additionally, this wasn't in Percy Jackson's file when she read about this mission.
Lauren shrugs. "She left, became an actress. She's a good friend of mine."
Stepping out of the shiny elevator, Lauren tells Annabeth to stop gazing longingly at the vending machine. ("you can buy stuff later so move" , "wait, I-" , "I said move!") "And over there is your table and Mr. Jackson's office. If you need anything, I'm a floor away."
She then strutters away, flips her hand and leaves.
Which is like, rude much.
"Yeah, I hate you too, whatever," Annabeth mutters.
Walking over to her brown desk, and sitting down in her black leather computer chair, Annabeth scans the room, (because she's a good spy) noticing the number of exits (7, excluding the windows), the number of possible weapons (136) and the number of potential threats, (2 - does Lauren count?).
Annabeth checks the time on her watch - 8:53 am. Perfect. She has enough time for some pre-investigation.
Inconspicuously, Annabeth begins opening the drawers of her desk; the top drawer, which is situated on the right side of her desk, has two ballpoint pens with the company's logo embellished and a yellow phonebook, aligned together. She pulls the book out and flips through it, just in case. Annabeth rolls her eyes, the secretary who drew a penis at the back of the book is so childish. Seriously, even the twelve-year-olds she taught once were more mature than said secretary. Unfortunately, that was the only interesting thing about the phonebook, other than the chinese restaurant downtown that Annabeth would have to call to order take-out.
She checks the other drawer in the middle, but it's empty. Annabeth opens the last one and sighs, it's filled with Post-Its and more pens. Bored, she leans back in her chair and stares off into space. Just as she was about to check out if the office of Percy Jackson's was open, her internal clock tells her it's 8:58, and her boss would be here any moment.
According to Percy Jackson's profile, he was a punctual person, even though Thalia disagrees. Sometimes it's a perk to be punctual in the spy world because Annabeth would have a time limit to do whatever she needed with the time allotted, but as of right now, punctuality is not in her mind at all. It's annoying, because she can't happily unlock his door and look through anything without knowing he'll be here any moment.
Anyway, Annabeth decides on turning her computer up to snoop some more as she waits for her boss. However, what sucks is that Annabeth forgot to ask Lauren about the login information and she can't entirely hack into the computer in a minute - it's Hazel's job.
As Annabeth waits patiently for the 9 to turn into a 0 any second on her watch, she hears footsteps clicking down the hall. She glances up.
Her boss has arrived.
...
A/N: Hello hello!
It's nice to see you! Welcome to this story. It's a bit boring as of right now, but I swear it'll get better - I just suck at openings.
Anyway, I hope you'll stay tuned to this story, and enjoy it too! I'm new-ish to this format because the last time I uploaded a story, the story looked like crap so I hid the account (and brought the story down) and hopefully no one saw the ugliness of the terribly written story. I hope that account stays forgotten and just omg it was terrible *shudders* (it haunts me in the night jk jk but oMg).
Because what's going on in the world right now, I hope everyone stays inside and sits down (like the lyrics above mentions) and chills. So this also means I can get more chapters uploaded, hahah. I'm not kidding, stay inside or you're going to be on my hate list and imma go hunt you down with a pitchfork.
:)
20200318 (happy birthday lily collins!)