Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or the NWA

Chapter 10: Charles Beckendorf

Charles wiped off the small sheen of sweat that decorated his forehead. After taking out the wheel off the car (nearly ripping it off,) he replaced it with a new one. He then proceeded to take a wet rag and polish the entire car until it looked like a fly low rider.

Looking to the apprentice, he nodded. "Tell Mr. Bushwhack he can have his car back."

"Yeah, okay." the apprentice muttered before leaving.

He looked around the auto and repair shop for something else to do. There was nothing except for a couple of guys playing cards and messing with the boom box.

To be fair, it was a Monday- the day where business didn't exactly do so well. But he knew that the company in general wasn't really doing do well- especially since that new company came along, he thought with a malicious scowl.

Meanwhile yelling could be heard in the front.

The two guys playing cards paused their rewind and next, only to stop at a song by the NWA.

"Y'need backup?"

Even though he was eight, he still had muscle. And an Afro. Still. He never knew what could go wrong so he nodded.

Striding to where he could hear the voices getting louder he stopped at the door and peeked in.

Three dudes. All buff and looking like the hulk. Charles stared at them, beckoning his backup to come closer so they could hear.

"You think you can come here and demand my shop be closed down?" Ms. Beckendorf asked harshly- her expression fierce.

"Yeah, right here we have a contract- you're paying the employers-"

Charles could see something shiny flash- a glint of metal. When he squinted, he thought he could see a weapon of sorts... Taking a hammer from a nearby table, he charged at the three men, his backup right beside him.

"Go to Hell and stay away from my momma!" He screamed.

Little Charles Beckendorf should've known three big buff men would carry guns around- especially in a neighborhood in theirs. Hell, even they probably had a gun lying around under the pillow somewhere.

But even then- one of them did a little trick between his fingers and a little switch and suddenly the safety was switched off and it was pointed right at his mother's head.

"Back off, punk," the man growled, before unexpectedly stumbling forwards because a very hard knock to the head hit him.

Charles watched as his 'colleagues' got out weapons of their own and started to fight with the others. All he could do was lead his mother to safety- much to her protests of getting the baseball bat and beating them up herself.

When she sat down, the slight crazed look in her eyes vanished along with the soft drink.

"You cool?" Charles asked her, the hammer still in his hands.

"Just some people asking me to take down the shop," she responded tiredly, before gazing at him and sighing. "Man, you're really growing up y'know? You have to be the man of this family at an age so early..."

"Where's Pops at?" He merely asked, bitterness mingling in with curiosity.

"Oh..." She sighed, taking a quick glance outside to see if the fight had been cleared up.

As if on cue, her employees walked in, and looking extremely serious said, "where should we put the bodies, boss?"

"In the cellar amongst the others," the boss replied casually.

Grinning, they strolled off. Ms. Beckendorf laughed afterwards. "It's a joke, C."

Charles merely nodded, smirking, and he finally allowed himself to loosen his grip on the hammer. He could see his mother staring at him.

"But as for your father... He's probably living alone somewhere in his own man cave or something..."

"But why did he leave, momma? Why'd he knock you up before leaving?" He asked rudely.

She merely laughed, a forlorn look in her eye. "Don't think too badly of him, C. He's pretty antisocial, and left because he couldn't stay. Suppose it was too much for him. You're just like him in some ways y'know? You both like to build things- and he's probably building something right now, in his own man cave."

Charles nodded, more understanding but in all, still pretty pissed off at the 'antisocial dude in the man cave who left.'

She laughed shortly again as if knowing what he was thinking before standing up, a glint in her eye. "Let's go see where they put the bodies, shall we?"

A/N: Sorry for the late update, again. Was working on the chapters for the rewrite of my other story. Once again, thanks for all the support!