I do not own Percy Jackson or Heroes of Olympus, neither do I own the display pic of this story.
Estelle, my dearest sister.
I have been in London for a week now, safe and in high spirits but prepared for the worst.
The people who have fed and sheltered me seem to be living in an illusion; they have submitted themselves to the ideas that their society has made. What this could mean, I dread to guess.
When I first set out for this world a month ago, I did so with a single purpose. To discover what our father did not.
The road to Berlin is tough and overrun my militaries on both sides; I fear how many more people have to lose lives standing in my way.
I am weary of this fight Estelle. Not because I'm tired but because our fight seems to move towards one direction only. Towards chaos.
Today I have more questions than answers. This is why I have come so far. To find clarity. I do not find our cause any different than the illusion these people live in, maybe I will be wiser after returning from this journey.
Do not risk searching for me if it takes too long.
My story is one of thousands, and the world will not suffer if it ends too soon.
Percy sighed as he finished reading the last memo he wrote to his sister; he knew he now couldn't send new messages through time the conventional way, so he has to rely on these memos.
Percy heard a light knock on the door of his room,
"Come In," He yelled.
The door opened partly and Percy turned around in his chair,
"Mr. Jackson, it's about time for our kitchen to be closed, do you want anything, sir?" the man asked.
"Oh no, thank you –" Percy's eyes zoomed at his nametag,
"Alfred," Percy said after a slight pause.
"As you wish sire," Alfred replied, closing the door.
Some people might question Percy's decision to visit this war-torn world to meet him, but the real nature of humanity is only revealed in its darkest times. He was also less likely to be followed by someone from his time here.
Percy gazed out of the window into the night sky and smiled to himself. He hasn't seen the stars for so long. The future as better it is has lost the gifts of nature. He stared at the stars trying to find patterns of constellations he remembered from his youth. His eyes shifted for a moment to the latest edition of a science magazine with the headline "'Ourselves': What We Are and What We Hope to be". But it wasn't the headline that caught his attention but a quote in small font written beside it- "I have loved the stars too fondly to be scared of night," – Galileo Galilei
This time silent tears also found their way along with a smile.
As soon as Percy opened his eyes, he was blinded by the bright sunshine falling straight at him on his tiny desk in his room. Seemingly he slept right there, gazing at the stars the last night. He picked himself up, to freshen up a little bit. He left the room for the reception to check out of the hotel with his only bag.
He was paying his dues (A week in a hotel in 1940 London did cost a fortune) when he noticed the time and date and gulped.
"Is there are any problem, sir?" The receptionist asked.
"Uh, I have to reach Paris rather urgently, but unfortunately the travel company canceled the trip," He said, sweating, he was never good at lying and the summer heat didn't help much.
"You wouldn't know any travel company nearby? Would you?"
The receptionist's eyes gleamed at his question,
"Ah yes, wait a minute, Alfred!" He called out loudly.
Alfred came rushing, his shirt was covered in sweat and he was holding a laundry bag, too big for his size.
"Aye, sir,"
"Take Mr. Jackson to Chase's, will ya?"
"Of course sir," He turned to face Percy,
"Just a minute," he told Percy and left, probably to get rid of his bag of laundry. Percy sighed and looked at the newspaper put in front of him on the reception desk.
'Britain Humiliated: Royal Navy and Royal Air Force suffer huge losses, Liberation of Norway to continue' the headline read. Percy read further, as it was still April, Percy knew that Hitler won't invade France till May so he could take the risk to visit France to smuggle himself into Germany before the invasion started. The British apparently had lost heavily with an aircraft carrier and about 100 planes in Norway.
"Shame really, but I think this war would be over soon," the receptionist commented as Percy was reading the article.
"I do hope so," Percy replied emotionless, he, of course, could not correct him as much as he wanted to warn the poor bloke about the horrors of war which he would have to suffer through.
At that moment Alfred arrived, having disposed of his laundry bag,
"Shall we proceed?" He asked wiping the sweat off his forehead,
"Yeah, sure" Percy replied gesturing him to take the lead.
London was bustling with activity, it didn't seem at all like the country was at war, children ran in the streets selling newspapers, women stood in lines in front of the bakery, men did construction work in the cruel summer heat, it was a mind-boggling site for Percy, this city had a life of its own, rather than like the London of his time.
"If I may ask you, kind sir, where are you from?" Alfred asked Percy
"Oh, I'm from New York," Percy replied as his eyes wandered towards children playing football in a nearby alley.
"Good place, it is, sister of mine live there,"
"Oh," Percy replied absentmindedly, he was taken aback by the dream in which these people were living; unaware they were going to face the most deadly conflict in human history soon.
He sighed as they reach a rather old looking shop, with glass window panes showing books stacked up in shelves, as if a miniature library. 'Chase Travels & Books' read the sign on the door, which Percy pushed gently to enter the building.
Alfred led the way as they went towards the back of the shop where a counter was located. It was rather unusual for a shop to have a counter at the very end, Percy thought. He looked around and realized that even the bookshelves and the books they contained seemed old as if from another era.
"Ahem" Percy refocused his attention to a man clearing his throat behind the encounter. The man didn't look older than about 50, he had a typical brown English mustache and strangely wore a cardigan upon his white shirt and tie (Percy thought he was way overdressed for this hot day in London). But the most unnerving thing about the man was his eyes, grey and cold, they seemed to search inside him to reap his soul out of his mortal body.
He tried to smile welcomingly, but he failed miserably.
"How can I help you, sir?" the mustached man behind the counter asked, trying to sound polite but failing again.
"This gentleman here needs to urgently visit Paris, Fredrick," Alfred replied as his eyes zoomed at the big clock behind the counter showing time.
"Blimey! I need to go, I hope you find help here Mr. Jackson," Albert gave a short nod to Percy and left the shop.
The man-Frederick stared into Percy's eyes, dark grey upon sea green.
"Berlin!" Percy voiced, trying to break the awkward silence that had fallen upon them.
"My final destination is Berlin sir, can you assist me?"
"We are at war kid," he replied his voice cold,lacking any emotion.
"I was told you were always up to a challenge, perhaps not," Percy challenged with one of his eyebrows raised and a cocky smile playing on his lips,
Frederick tightened his jaw and replied "It will cost quite a fortune,"
"I am willing to pay," Percy replied, taking out his checkbook ( A week in London has set him up for a fortune through unconventional means)
"What's your business their boy?"
"Nothing you should be concerned about,"
"I am sending you out there, I don't want authorities on my back,"
"The authorities? They won't care about this little adventure of mine,after all the war will be over in a month, won't it?"
"And—" He brought his pen to his checkbook and issued a cheque.
He slammed the slip on the counter and Fredrick's eyes widened at the amount, they gleamed with greed.
"No more questions," Percy smirked,
Frederick reached underneath Percy's fingers to get the slip but Percy withdrew the slip back.
"I would need a companion which knows the way around Europe,"
Fredrick raised an eyebrow and then sighed, "Matthew get your sister," he yelled.
A moment passed, then a blond woman appeared from the back of the shop and Percy couldn't breathe for a second. His heart sped at a million miles an hour as he stared right into her stormy grey eyes. A weird feeling crawled inside him; she seemed familiar-as if Percy definitely knew her from somewhere but couldn't put a finger on it.
"You called Father?" she questioned, her voice lacking any hint of enthusiasm.
"This gentleman wants to visit Berlin; I need you to escort him there as the journey will be through- ah- unconventional means,"
She turned her gaze towards Percy, " It will be too dangerous, we are at war sir," she stated giving him a tight-lipped smile, it seemed she was refraining herself on pointing out the stupidity of this plan
"I am willing to take the risk,"
"I am not,"
Both of them were locked in a staring match, and then Percy broke the deadlock by taking out his pen and adding to his offer. She took a look at the slip and her mouth was left open in shock. She tightened her jaw and spoke in an authoritative voice," Very well, but we must cash it before the journey," she took a deep breath and then continued, "When do you want to leave?" she asked.
"Today," replied Percy,
"Are you out of your mind?" she snorted.
"Then I must rescind my offer," Percy challenged. She was about to argue when her father put a hand on her shoulder. She finally sighed, "Meet me here at 6," taking the cheque from under Percy's fingers.
"Wait a minute, I didn't catch your name," Percy protested.
"Annabeth, Annabeth Chase," she replied, turning on her heels and returning to the back of the shop.
Percy ran some errands before he had to leave. He bought a Smith & Wesson revolver from the black-market, a decent looking pocket watch, a detailed map of Europe, some cigars and a camera. He didn't realize the time until the sun was beginning to set, and was indeed late to meet Annabeth at the shop.
"You're late," he was greeted by a not so pleased looking Annabeth standing at the door, carrying a backpack and wearing a buttoned-up top with tight black leggings and gumboots.
"I'm sorry," Percy replied, rubbing back of his neck and smiling sheepishly – an uncharacteristic behavior from a man in that era, but Annabeth just rolled her eyes,
"You need to change stupid, you expect to travel in pants and those boots?"
"Hey, I never knew we were going out for a hike,"
Annabeth gave him a death glance that made him shut his mouth; she then shoved him inside the shop, where he was given clothing that looked like boy scouts uniform and identical gumboots. He was tying up the shoelaces of his boots when he glanced up at Annabeth, who was now sitting on a stool at the edge of the shop, holding a map with both her hands and studying it intently.
In the dim light of the shop with her princess blond curls falling from her side and her eyebrows scrunched in concentration, she looked like a living Greek goddess to Percy. He might have been staring for too long at her, as Annabeth eventually caught him.
"Hurry up," she scolded him with a poker face, but Percy didn't fail to notice a small smile that played on her face as they left the shop.
Percy stood at the deck of the small boat staring at the night sky, feeling better than ever, Percy always felt rejuvenated when he was at the sea and the clear night sky only helped his mood. They had traveled down the Thames on a small merchant ship and were currently in the English Channel heading towards Calais. Though Belgian ports were closer but according to Annabeth the French and the British expeditionary force were mobilized at the Belgian- French border and it was too risky to head towards Belgium.
"Come down from the deck, these waters are guarded by Royal Navy, they won't hesitate to shoot at the first sight if they caught wind of this vessel," Annabeth ordered him.
Percy sighed, knowing that Annabeth was right (he had a feeling this would be a regular occurrence) and retreated back to the small cabin from the deck.
The cabin was more than sophisticated with both Annabeth and Percy squashed inside it and all the stuff from the owner of the boat. They both just sat there in uncomfortable silence for some time. Percy was about to break the ice when they heard a loud sound of engines interrupting his train of thoughts.
"Planes, I reckon they aren't ours," Annabeth spoke softly after witnessing the confused look that Percy gave her. Percy's expression changed into dead serious and he gave her a nod.
"Do you think the war will be over soon?" She asked, staring outside through the small glass window in the cabin.
"I don't know but I do think so," Percy replied cautiously, he didn't want Annabeth to have any suspicion about his truth. (He can't just tell the entire timeline of war to her, can he?)
Annabeth sighed, "We have suffered enough from the aftershocks of the previous war, I just don't want to go back to that time," she replied, her voice emotional.
"You won't" Percy reassured her, but he inevitably knew that they had to face a time harsher than that.
"What's your business in Berlin?" she asked again.
Percy sighed, perhaps this time he must tell her the truth, "I'm there to meet one of the greatest minds of this century," He took a deep breath, thoroughly knowing the risk of telling her,
"Heisenberg, Werner Heisenberg,"
न त्वेवाहं जातु नासं न त्वं नेमे जनाधिपा |
न चैव न भविष्याम: सर्वे वयमत: परम् || 12||
The Supreme Lord said: Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be.
A/N- Hey! I hope you like the first chapter of this fic, it was lying deep down somewhere in the abyss of my folders and I finally decided to go for it and the first memo is basically ezio's letter in ac revelations, but I promise I will surely keep future memos original, anyways I will be able to update only once a week cuz I'm lazy and I again have exams(sighs deeply). I would highly appreciate if I get feedback about the shortcomings of this story. If anyone ever want to talk about anything, my PM's would be open. Also I would be adding some quotes from Bhagavad Gita, which even if I do not believe in had kept me mentally stable for these 2 long and dark years.
wurtzreaction16