Chapter 3

If

"What are you saying?"

Percy stood in the kitchen with his phone to his ear and Leo on the line. He had hoped that the news he was going to tell Leo wouldn't upset him so much. Clearly he had been wrong, but one could still have hopes. He grimaced and repeated himself.

"I can't come tonight, I'm sorry."

"Dude, we had a deal," Leo whined. "C'mon man. Friday's night out. That is what we agreed on. What could possibly be more important than trying to rescue the little social life you've left? Emphasis on trying, I don't even know if a miracle performed by the fabulous McShizzle is able to save you now."

The line went silent, and Percy rubbed the tips of his fingers against his temples in an attempt to make the dull headache he had gotten earlier that morning go away.

"Leo, I swear this is important. I wouldn't ask you to cancel if it wasn't."

There was only silence, but when Percy thought the line had died he heard a smug voice say: "And what could possibly be more important than me? Maybe my little Percy friend finally decided to go out with strangers and get laid. Huh, am I right. Don't answer that, by the way, "Leo added. "Of course I'm right. When am I not?"

Percy grinned with closed eyes. And as if Leo had suddenly gained a telepathic sense he whooped and said: "I knew it! Oh man, wait 'til Calypso hear this. And you Perce, finally transforming into a man!" He fake sobbed. "My child, growing up so fast. It feels like it was only yesterday we sat a lonely table on the moon, miserable in the knowledge that you hadn't gotten any fun in nearly three months. Look at you now. My boy, grown into a man." Leo sniffed through the phone.

Percy laughed. "You sound just like Mom when I told her I was going out tonight." Just then the door to Percy's room popped open.

"Did I hear my name?"

Leo's excited voice could soon enough be heard. "Is it you Mom? Dude, put me on speaker phone. I need to make a good impression so I'll never run out of those delicious cookies."

"You have already met her, several times, "Percy pointed out, but did as he said anyway.

"Hello dear."

"Hey, Mrs. Jackson, what's up?"

Percy's mother looked at her son with a twinkle in her eyes. "I'm fine thank you. And how many times must I tell you to call me Sally, Leo."

"Well, I suppose I can start now since you have said that to me every time I've been over."

Sally laughed, and then turned to Percy. "Darling, there's a young man in the hallway. I believe he's here to see you."

Percy nearly dropped his phone. "He's here!"

"Who's here," Leo asked. Then realization hit him. "Oh, alright. I get it. Good luck Perce." The last thing that could be heard was the faint clicking noise and Leo's laugh when he hung up.


The day had raced on in a dreamlike haze. Percy could barely recall what he'd said or how he'd acted. But obviously, it must have been acceptable since Nico had agreed on seeing Percy again the next week.

Exhausted, Percy threw his jacket on his bed and instantly followed. He let out a sigh he didn't know he'd been keeping the whole day. Nevertheless for his anxieties, this had been a great day.

Suddenly the door bell rang and Percy wondered tiredly if perhaps Nico was back again. Maybe he'd forgotten something, or he just wanted to spend even more time with Percy. At that thought Percy smiled and arose from his bed.

"Can you open the door honey?"

"Already on my way!" Percy answered his mother. He pressed down the handle and started to push the door open, when it jerked away from his grip. "Hey?! What are you -" A fist, emerging from nowhere cut him off and pain spread as he fell to the floor.

"Percy?"

Percy heard his mother's strained voice. He heaved himself up on his elbows and ignored the throbbing sensation in his head. "Go back!" he shouted. Before he managed to say anything more a large hand covered his mouth. He gagged, but couldn't do anything about it.

"You stay silent kid. We wouldn't want anyone to get hurt, right?" a rough voice whispered. Frantically Percy shook his head. "That's a good boy."

Foreigner hands pulled back his arms and dragged him into the apartment and into the kitchen. On a chair his mother sat with a gun aimed at her head.

"Percy!" she screamed when she saw him. She turned around and shouted at her captor: "What have you done to him! We don't know you people, get out!"

The man holding the gun only waved it dismissively and pushed her down on the chair again.

"Who you know doesn't matter," a third man said coldly, emerging behind Percy's back . "Your husband on the other hand..." The man chuckled.

Sally's eyes widened, and she looked frightened at the man. "I don't have any business in my husband's affairs," she said in a shaky voice. "If he -"

"Oh yes. If. That's a quite wonderful word, isn't it? But let's say if we don't get the money he owes us things will get nasty. And if things say... started to go a little crazy, then I can't stand responsible for the consequences." The man chuckled darkly and finally stepped into Percy's view.

The man was surprisingly young, with white-blond hair and a handsome face. The only thing that destroyed the image of a boy-next-door look was the cruel look in his eyes .

"Octavian," the man holding Sally at gunpoint warned. "We're running out of time."

The leader - Octavian - only shrugged. "You heard my friend Ethan over there," he told Sally. "Either you get us the money, or you die." He paused. "All of you," he added with a meaning look at Percy. "Is this your son?" he asked relaxed. "Quite a ladies-man, no? Well, I suppose he won't look so pretty with half of his nose gone."

Octavian unsheathed a small knife. At Percy's frightened look he said: "Yeah, it's kind of primitive. But you would be surprised of how well it works." Once again he turned to Sally. "So, do we have a deal?"


The three men had left only an hour ago, but Percy could still feel their presence linger in the very air he breathed.

"We'll have to call the police," was the first thing he said to his mother when the three men had left. Sally avoided her son's gaze and instead put all of her focus into putting ice on his bruised face where he'd been hit. "Mom, we need to -"

"No," Sally said silently. "We can't tell anyone."

"But why?" Percy exclaimed frustrated, but winced when it made his bruises throb.

"Because," Sally said in a low voice, "they'll know. And the police will do nothing about it. I know this organization. Gabe has been spending their money and now they come to us. They won't stop."

Percy stood up and paced the floor. "But we need to do something!" he said.

"We will," Sally said with defeat. "We'll get the money. Only then will they leave us alone."

Percy stopped in his tracks. "But we can't just - " he started furiously, but was cut off.

"We can, and we will," his mother said. "There's no further discussion. We'll get the money, and we will not under any circumstances involve the police or anyone else. Do you understand me?"

Percy didn't want to believe his ears. How could they just give up? And even if they did get the money, how could they be sure they were to be left alone after that?

"I -" he said reluctantly. "I understand."

Sally nodded and brushed her fingers softly over her son's bruises. "Good," she said. "Now, this is what we must do."