Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the series PJO or HOO.
AN: I have been tidying up the plot of the story and I am now certain that the upcoming twists and turns will please you all. At least, I'm sure the spicy romance scenes in a few chapters will leave you all breathless. If that's not your sort of thing, feel free to skip over those parts. They are not essential to the story. I just thought I would try something a little bit different for the mature audiences who read my work.
Thanks very much to the reviewers and the readers who faved this week!
-H.
-o-
True to her promise to not explain, Reyna was as silent as the grave on the way there.
As a result, the trip was spent in maddening silence. Their driver kept his sunglasses on and his mouth firmly shut, except once to remind them that there were refreshments in the minifridge under a seat. Hazel had huffed when she was offered a lemonade but now started to regret it as her mouth dried uncomfortably half an hour into their journey. It was such a fancy car, she had no idea why she was in it.
At last, with the crunching and slipping of tyre on gravel, they pulled up outside what appeared to be an old boatshed. It might have been quite a sight when it was first built, all coloured up in mint and pink as if the owner was particularly fond of watermelons. Hazel didn't come to lower Manhattan or the seaside districts past Central Park very often, but she knew they were parked somewhere alongside the bank of the Hudson river.
Years on, patches of paint had been washed away by the weather and what was still clinging on in sad strips was faded and lifeless even as they fluttered in the breeze. The roof also looked to be in desperate need of repair. But Hazel knew that if today's events were anything to go by, appearances could be deceiving. Not to mention there were way too many security cameras installed along the outer wall, all of which gleamed in sharp contrast to the run-down nature of the boatshed.
Normally there was no way that Hazel would get out of a car without at least thanking the driver first, but seeing as how she'd been essentially kidnapped, she was fuming too much to care about manners. Hazel clambered out of the car, stumbling on the loose gravel and slammed the door extra hard to make up for that blunder.
Reyna, who was much more agile and had already gotten out and around the car, raised an eyebrow.
"What?!"
"Nothing." But there was a hint of admiration in her former friend's voice. She turned towards the boatshed entrance, "Follow me."
Hazel wondered if she should. What on earth was going on? Her best friend for years was some kind of super spy, or maybe this was all some elaborate prank and all her schoolmates were going to jump out from the boatshed and mock her. But as water sloshed against the banks of the pier Hazel realised just how deserted this area was. The muted sounds of the bustling city were faint behind her, and it struck her that this was all very real.
"Where are you taking me?"
"There's someone you need to meet," Reyna's voice was muffled by the wind as she threw the explanation behind her. Her casual tone made it seem as if they were simply taking a stroll to the park. After a moment's hesitation, Hazel reluctantly followed.
The boathouse was bigger than it looked from the outside, and much better maintained. A medium sized fishing trawler was squatting on a tall trailer. The boat looked to be well used, but still in good condition. The name read Crestrider was painted in bold black letters, contrasting starkly with the white hull. A net dangled from one of the railings, bits of seaweed forlornly tangled in its gaps.
All around them hung fishing lines and hooks of different colours and sizes, giving Hazel the uncomfortable feeling of being in a butcher's shop. They had come through a side entrance and with the main door closed, the only source of light was a few windows set high up on the walls, almost near the ceiling. Weak sunset rays barely penetrated the gloom and particles of dust twisted and danced before their eyes in the dying light.
A dark shade moved, and Hazel sucked in a fearful breath.
But as her eyes adjusted, she was it was a man seated on a trailer wheel. He stood in a hurry when the two girls approached and patted down his suit anxiously.
"Reyna! They said there was a shooting at school and that you guys would be picked up-" The man's mouth dropped open at the sight of her, "Oh my goodness… is that her?"
Reyna nodded in response, "Hey, Frank. Yep."
Their eyes met, and Hazel scrutinised the guy. Tall. Well built. Asian. Maybe twenty or so? Hazel couldn't help but be amused, for whilst the man in front of her was well muscled, he still had traces of baby fat on his cheeks that jiggled when he talked. It was kind of cute- as if puberty has forgotten his face.
"Hi there," She extended her hand, "My name is Hazel."
Frank moved to shake her hand, but then started in surprise, "I shouldn't. Eh-"
A loud grinding noise saved him. The door of the control room of the trawler was pushed back on its hinges, and a large man clambered out rather clumsily. He leapt the short distance to the ground and wiped the sweat off his brow before turning around to face them.
This was a man who enjoyed the comforts that life had to offer, Hazel decided, glancing at his pot belly and wild beard. But there were smile wrinkles around his eyes and when he opened his arms as if to embrace her, Hazel saw that his fingers were scarred and worn. So not completely useless either.
"Ah, child. We finally meet face to face!" His voice was too warm and pleasant. Suspicion crawled its way through Hazel's mind.
"Who are you? Are you going to hurt me?" She demanded. Reyna frowned while Frank goggled in disbelief. Even the man paused for a moment, startled.
Then he laughed heartily. "No, Hazel. I will not hurt you." His face broke into a smile, "My name is Poseidon."
"Dear child, I'm your uncle."
-o-
Her mother had no siblings, that she knew. Or else why would no one except the old woman next door offer to take her into after her mother passed away? So this was her father's brother. Or he was some creep pretending to be your uncle, her mind whispered.
Hazel realised that her mouth was gaping and hurriedly closed it. "What? Are you crazy? My father abandoned my mother and me years ago. Why would his family contact me now?"
Poseidon winced, "Well, the good news is that I'm perfectly sane. The bad news is that your father is dead. And upon his death, I was instructed to bring together his remaining living children. To carry out his will."
Hazel felt like she had to sit down or stop time and contemplate this new information. Reyna was at her side, supporting her both physically and mentally. Her head spun. Within one hour, she had gone from running for her life with her psycho best friend, to finding out her father was alive all this time and then finding out that he was now dead. What kind of messed up world was this?
She steadied her nerves, noticing that the others were looking at her in concern. She looked up at her uncle and asked bravely, "I can't believe this. How can I? Who was my father- did I ever know him?"
She felt Frank tense up behind her, with a gasped, "She doesn't know?" And then Reyna's shushing. Poseidon broke the news with a loud sigh that only increased the amount of anticipation in the air.
"Well, Hazel. You see… Your late father was my older brother," He smiled encouragingly at her, "But the public liked to know him as Hades, the real estate owner."
For a moment there was silence, and every roll of the water in the harbour outside was deafening. Then Hazel started to laugh. Reyna frowned behind her, most likely doubting a certain someone's sanity.
"No way! Are you kidding me?" She paused and looked around at the serious faces around her. "What? That's not possible…"
But even as she stood there, feeling like everything she'd known about the world was being pulled out from under her like a rug, deep down she knew this man wasn't lying. In one particularly hazy memory, she remembered an old run-down apartment with only two rooms that she and her mother shared.
By night it was their house, by day it was the arena for scamming all manner of tourists and backpackers by fortune telling. One day, rushing down the dingy staircase to go out and play, she ran into a tall man heading up the stairs.
"Sorry, mister!" She'd said, but the man only smiled softly.
"Child, are you Hazel Levesque?" he asked in a quiet tone. She nodded a quick yes, before suddenly remembering her mother's orders to never talk to strangers.
The man smiled widely at her then and produced a parcel from his pocket. "These are for you, child. Be good now, I'll be watching. Remember, I'll always be here for you."
And that was the end of it. She never saw or heard from the man again. What should be been counted as an encounter with a creepy stalker faded away into hazy childhood memories until years later, she thought she might have dreamt of it.
Now, in the present, Hazel realised that man was probably Hades. Her father, a rich and powerful white man, who had only ever given her a packet of coloured pencils. Heat surged through her veins.
"All these years, why didn't he ever come to help out? Do you know how hard it was after my mum died?" She turned away from her uncle and found herself facing the impassive face of Reyna and the confused Frank. She let out a disbelieving huff and shifted her gaze downwards.
Poseidon sighed behind her, his face clouded with grief and guilt, "Hazel. I am sorry for what you and your mother had to endure. But it was not by your father's choice. My brother wanted to set you both up for a life of plenty. But your mother felt that such an action would put you into the spotlight. And the kind of life that comes with media scrutiny is rarely happy."
The words settled into her head with a fatal boom. Her mother had always known about this? Even before she went off the deep end, diving into a life of drugs and substance abuse? Before she overdosed and left her only daughter alone? Could it be, that her own mother, had denied her the chance for a better life?
"You think that my life out of the media was any better?" She spluttered out.
Her uncle put a gentle hand on her shoulder, and she was tempted to throw it off. But there was something comforting about Poseidon that put her at ease, despite only meeting him a few moments before.
"I know it was not easy. But Hades did try to help you, behind the scenes." He gestured towards Reyna, "He sent a wonderful person to be your friend and protector. And the kind lady who took you in after your mother passed away, well… let's just say that not many people win lotteries in their lifetime."
Hazel was flabbergasted. Could be there truth in what she was being told? She glanced at Reyna, "Is this all true?" Despite everything, she still wanted her friend's support in this madness. Even though this madness was only the start of everything she had known unravelling.
Her friend paused in her gum chewing, "Have I ever lied to you? Have I ever tried to harm you?"
Those were well-chosen words, for Reyna had always been a good friend and regardless of the fact that she'd hidden vital parts of her identity she had been true throughout the years.
"No." Hazel admitted reluctantly, "No, you've always been a good friend. But you have lied to me about this."
Reyna scowled, "That was because your father ordered me. I'd have liked to tell you that your life might always be in danger and that I was actually your bodyguard as well, but that might have compromised your sense of normalcy. It was what your mother wanted for you."
Hazel thought hard. Should she be angry at the father who had abandoned her, or grateful for the man who had always tried to improve her life whilst respecting her mother's wishes? And what about her mother? Did she have a right to decide what kind of life Hazel would lead?
"And why bring me this knowledge now? Especially since my father is dead."
Poseidon stepped in with a kind smile, "He wanted to make sure that you were told of your parentage if he ever passed away. You needed to know who you were, because it is part of your identity. There's also the matter of the sum of money he left for you."
"He left me money? He left me something?" Hazel was suspicious. Today was shaping up like a scene from some fantasy movie. First, a school shooting, then she discovered her long-lost father is dead. Wow. She didn't know what to think.
"Of course, he did. You are still his daughter, illegitimate or not. You are family." Poseidon looped his thumbs through his belt, "I know this is a lot to take in and believe me when I say that this was not the way we planned to initiate you with your heritage. Those shooters at school today were hired killers, which means that someone unwanted has already discovered your identity. Possibly the same person or people who murdered my brother." His tone was cold at the end.
Oh right.
In the moment, she had completely forgotten that her father's death was treated as highly suspicious and still under private investigation. Maybe her mother was right maintaining a low profile.
"Why were they trying to kill me? I haven't done anything. I didn't even know who I was before you revealed it to me just then!" She could help but raise her voice. To put it plainly, she was scared. Terrified.
Her uncle waved a hand at Frank, who had been standing and gaping as they spoke. "Frank, go get the car. Notify Thanatos that we'll be there soon." He turned his attention back to his niece, "Hazel, I have no particular suspicions of who might want to harm you or your father. But, as you'd imagine, a man in his position had plenty of enemies. Though, I promise I will try my best to keep you safe."
Hazel swallowed and nodded, "What's going to happen now?"
"There are people you must meet," Poseidon said, "We will go back to your father's apartment in the city."
Reyna stepped up beside her, "I'm coming too, of course?"
Poseidon winked, "Of course. Don't best friends go everywhere together?"
-o-
When normal people say 'apartment' in New York they mean a reasonably generous living space, perhaps at max with a rooftop garden or something fancy like that. But Hazel guessed that when rich people talked about apartments, they actually referred to multistorey penthouses on top of grand business buildings.
When their car pulled into the front driveway and drop off area of the skyscraper that housed the offices of Elysium Real Estate, Hazel couldn't help by gape at the lush lawn surrounding a magnificent fountain which was spurting water at least twenty metres into the air. Craning her head, she could just see inside the lobby, where plush red carpets were uncaringly trodden underfoot by hundreds of men and women heading outside, glad to end another tiring day or work. They chattered as they walked, a rare few glancing at the large silver Rolls Royce that had just pulled up just outside the main entrance. But it was home time, and the thought of family and warm food was much more alluring than some VIP that might have arrived. For the main part, they were ignored.
"Six thirty," her uncle's words startled her, "Perfect! Just in time for dinner in half an hour."
Reyna rolled her eyes, "Do you like the building, Hazel?"
Hazel wasn't sure what to think. This entire empire of real estate had belonged to her father? She wasn't sure if it was right to be amazed when she was still so angry at his abandonment. As Frank turned off the engine, he grinned back at the occupants. "We're here! What do you think, Miss?"
Poseidon frowned, "If Thanatos was here, he'd be berating you about speaking to the principals in that casual tone."
Frank looked sheepish, "Sorry…"
"Let's just be glad that he-" Poseidon's words were cut off by the car door opening. Reyna's hand immediately moved towards her weapon. Hazel saw that there was an unfamiliar menacing man looking at them whilst holding open the door. At least, Hazel assumed that he was looking at them, for the dark-skinned man was wearing ominous shades.
Frank yelped. "Ah! Sir!"
But Poseidon reacted very differently. The car wavered as he got out and made a gesture as if he was about to hug the newcomer. "Thanatos! Speak of the devil! I have not seen you for many years, my good friend."
Sensing there was no danger, Reyna and Hazel exited the car too.
Thanatos was a formidable looking man, with a bald head, thick muscled armed and skin like a smooth black pearl. Hazel had to tilt her head way back to look at his face, which dropped down to face her impassively. Dark shades and a solemn black suit completed the typical security guard look, and as Hazel looked down hurriedly, she could see her reflection in his polished leather shoes. The bulge of at least two guns was unmistakable underneath his suit jacket. This man was no ordinary security guard, she knew, he was a trained and skilled killer.
Hazel was about to draw back, but Poseidon placed a hand reassuringly on her shoulder and kept her firmly in place.
"This is Hazel. She's the late Mr di Angelo's daughter. Hazel, this is Thanatos, your father's head of security. If you ever need anything, he's the one man you can be sure to trust outside of family."
Thanatos swung his head to her and dipped his head. He spoke to her in a voice that gave nothing away. "I see. Welcome, Miss Hazel. We've been expecting you."
-o-
What's going to happen next? Who knows? (I know) But anyhow, why not leave me a review with your thoughts and ideas? Us writers live and breathe them!
Next chapter, we might see an reappearance of Nico. How has he dealt with his father's death and meeting a new sister?
H.