THE LIGHTENING THEIF

Annabeth wasn't thrilled about meeting Mr. D. Maybe it could be her big break, but Mr. D wasn't exactly a friendly person and he didn't exactly like Annabeth. She collected herself and walked into his office.

"Annabell Grace" he called out to her. She huffed and corrected the chubby faced, red nosed man who sat in the office chair. He put his vine glass down. The smell repulsed Annabeth; she noticed how Mr. D's eyes were watery, blue and bloodshot from all the drinking.

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?" he grunted.

Annabeth was confused, why would she have anything to say. She wondered why his tone, which was usually bored, was now laced with accusation.

"Don't just stand there, just tell me why you didn't deliver the letter?" Mr. D asked impatiently.

"But sir I left it at the warehouse" Annabeth replied with indignation.

"Hmmm and it just grew wings and flew away" the grumpy man commented.

Annabeth recalled the night and that's when it hit her, the masked guy. She told Mr. D about the transpired events, while the man in the tiger striped Hawaiian shirt just sipped more vine. Once she was done the man finally spoke

" I understand you had nothing to do with it, but as punishment for withholding such information you can show the newbie, what his name... ah Johnson around"

Annabeth protested but Mr. D promptly dismissed her. Annabeth left wondering how much worse her day could get, when she found the answer standing in front of her. There in front of her was 6' feet of annoyance wearing a blue T-shirt and baggy jeans.

"Doesn't my day just keep getting better" Annabeth snarled as she crossed Percy.

"See I knew we'd run into each other again" He smiled walking behind her. Annabeth ignored him and paced faster. "Aren't you in a good mood." Annabeth turned around, fake smiled and walked off.

"That Cherub who grew up in a trailer park must have delivered some bad news" Percy joked.

"Yeah he did, he asked me to guide you. Now do you understand why I'm a bundle of joy?" Annabeth said sarcastically. "And that CHERUB is Mr. D, show some respect if you want to get anywhere."

"Yeah cause that got you sooo far" Percy retorted.

"What's that supposed to mean" Annabeth snapped.

"16 and no mission, that must mean you really suck or that attitude isn't working" He said

"I don't know how you know that about me, but that's NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS" Annabeth said walking away.

"People talk," Percy said keeping up with the blond.

"Or maybe you asked" Annabeth replied

"Maybe I am interested" Percy smiled "just as much as you are"

"The only thing about you I'm interested in, is how to get rid of you" Annabeth said rolling her eyes.

"Unfortunately you have to show me around Wise girl, and I'm sure you wouldn't disrespect Mr. D by disobeying him" Percy said superciliously. Annabeth had been defeated.

"Lets get this over with" she huffed.

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"So I still don't get this parent thing," Percy said finally surfacing from the depths of the swimming pool.

"Geez what's so complicated" Annabeth said impatiently "Once you are recruited you are claimed by of the parents, the claiming is usually based on certain personality and physical traits that are characteristic to the parents code name. For example all the children of Athena are smart, all the children of Aphrodite are pretty."

"I'd want someone as kickass as Poseidon or maybe Ares to be my parent" Percy joked "And who are these parents, anyways?"

"The parents are the top most agents, they control Olympus and maintain the balance" Annabeth explained "And the big three cannot claim any recruits"

"The Big three? And why not?" Percy questioned as he enjoyed the water.

"The big three as in Poseidon, Zeus and Hades. You should read up your Greek mythology" Annabeth suggested, "The big three cannot claim recruits as they fear that the recruits claimed by them could rise up against them and challenge them for power. Also since the big three cannot directly engage in war with one another, having children would give them a means to fight out their issues and that would lead to the fall of Olympus."

"So how does claiming work? And what if your not claimed?" asked Percy

"There's no procedure, when you display a skill that catches one of their eyes they claim you" Annabeth said exasperated by all of Percy's questions "And till your claimed you can stay in the Hermes complex"

"And where do you stay?" Percy asked.

"Take a guess," Annabeth challenged.

"I'd say Athena complex, after all you are wise girl" He smiled. "But for a wise girl you're sitting dangerously close to edge of the pool"

"You wouldn't dare" Annabeth warned, but before she could move a safe distance away Percy had already pulled her into the water. Annabeth squealed as the cold water came into contact with her exposed skin. She wrestled Percy's grip around her waist, but to no avail. Percy laughed, letting her go and enjoying her annoyed expression. Annabeth scoffed before starting to splash Percy with water.

"Geez your such a seaweed brain" She yelled.

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Percy had no idea what was happening, he had just managed to change into a pair of dry clothes when Grover came to him.

"Percy man come on we got to go" Grover said enthusiastically. Grover and Percy used to go to school together and they were best friends. Grover was also a huge factor in Percy's recruitment.

"Go for what?" Percy questioned.

"Its Tuesday" Grover stated, hoping that would give his friend a clue, but when he noticed it hadn't struck a chord he just explained how spy vs. spy worked.

"So our goal is outsmart the other team and capture their flag?" Percy questioned raising an eyebrow, that didn't sound that hard.

"Ya but we get to use real weapons" said Grover "Now hurry up and put on your safety gear"

Grover walked into a room and handed Percy a bulletproof vest and then gave him a gun with three rounds of bullets. That scared Percy a bit, who allowed people to use real guns, weren't these games usually played with nerf guns, Percy thought. Percy saw Annabeth grab a knife and a gun looking confident and in control, he wished they ended up on the same team otherwise he might have ended up dead as he had given Annabeth plenty of motive for murder throughout the whole day.