Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians
AN: TS stands for Titan Ship plus name, with regards to the Empire State VI, the TS stands for Training Ship.
Chapter 6: The Plan
Percy's POV
Onboard the TS Empire State VI
"Percy we don't know exactly, most of the ship was asleep except for those of us who were working with the crew monitoring your submersible. The first thing we saw was several men dressed in black with guns running in. They separated all of the students from the crew and teachers. We have been in this storage room ever since." Terra said nervously. Chris held her tightly to his side and tried to reassure her.
"What happened to the crew and the teachers?" Chris asked, I could tell he was trying to remain calm. Terra looked at him and tears started to form in her eyes and as I looked around at the other students many were crying or looking down at their feet sadly.
"We don't know for sure, but after they separated us and placed the students in here we heard gun shots and screams from outside." Terra said. I could feel the sadness and the terror in her voice as she recalled the screams.
"Those bastards!" Chris said. I knew how he felt, but I also knew that anger could cloud your judgment and could most definitely get you or someone you cared about killed.
"We need to remain calm, so we can think straight. Did they say what they wanted?" I asked carefully.
Terra cleared some tears from her eyes and looked at me with a determined look. "No, they didn't say, except Percy, I think they were looking for you." Terra said.
I looked at her and then I forced a look of confusion and bewilderment, a few years ago I wouldn't have forced that look it would have been a permanent fixture on my face. Well at least according to my wise girl. "Did they say why they wanted to see me?" I said confusedly.
"No, they just were looking for you and we told them that you were in the submersible, after that they locked us up and kept the crew outside." Terra said.
"Percy, do you know what's going on?" Chris asked. I could tell he was confused and a little suspicious, I couldn't blame him.
"I have no idea, but if their looking for me I suppose they will want to talk, so maybe I can find out what's going on." I said anxiously.
Chris looked at me worriedly and I could tell that he thought I knew more than I was saying. In fact I had know idea why someone was looking for me, but if they were I did know one thing, these were no ordinary pirates. Suddenly the wheel on the hatch began to spin and the door unlocked. When the door opened there were three men standing at the door with their rifles pointing into the storage room. The man in the middle looked straight at me and said, "Jackson get out here."
"Who are you and what do you want with us?" I demanded. The man looked at me and laughed.
"Shut up or I will make sure to redecorate this room with the blood of your friends." The man said ominously. I could feel my face turn hot as the anger coursed through me, but I controlled myself and to my surprise it was fairly easy to do. I looked at Chris and Terra, I mouthed the words "I'll be back" and then I walked out the door surrounded by the pirates.
Annabeth's POV
My dreams had been fairly uneventful except for the year when Percy was in Atlantis, but tonight my dream was incredibly vivid and terrifying. I was watching in the third person as a scene played out before my eyes. I could not participate in it I could only watch it unfold. Percy was being led through the hold of a ship. He passed a large pool area that I recognized as a moon pool that was typically found on research ships. Percy must be on his ship. Then I finally could see the three men that were leading Percy through the ship they were clad in all black and carried assault rifles, what in Hades name is going on? They led Percy passed the moon pool, I saw Percy stare into the moon pool as if he thought about jumping in, but then I could see in his eyes that he changed his mind. The men directed Percy to a chair in the middle of the room, he sat down reluctantly. No one spoke to Percy, the three guards just stood there with their guns aimed toward him.
"What are we waiting for?" Percy asked impatiently. One of the men just smiled at him fiendishly.
"Not what, whom." The man said. As if in answer to Percy's question heavy footsteps could be heard walking toward them. Percy's mouth dropped open in surprise when he saw the huge hulking figure of the titan Atlas himself.
"Ah, Perseus Jackson it is so good to see you. You have grown much since the last time we spoke." Atlas said not even trying to hide his hatred for Percy.
"You murdering bastard. Why are you doing this? My father will destroy you. You have some nerve attacking a ship in his domain." Percy said angrily.
Atlas just stared at Percy and smiled fiendishly. "Your father can do nothing do you see this lovely pearl?" Atlas asked ominously as he held a beautiful black and silver pearl that was encased within a large and beautiful crystal. The crystal glowed with power.
Percy stared at the pearl with a look of complete bewilderment on his face. "What is that?" Percy asked.
"This is the Pearl of Thalassa. It negates the powers of the god or titan of the oceans. It was created by Thalassa to protect her from the advances of Oceanus before the first Titan War.
"Why is it inside a crystal?" Percy asked curiously.
"Ah, the Crystal of Athena, this is the main crystal it amplifies any power source housed within it including the pearl. The advantage of the crystal is that it can redirect some of this power to smaller Crystals of Athena. It allows us to protect our ships from anything the sea god can throw at us, including you my young demigod." Atlas said.
'I never heard of such a thing, you're lying." Percy accused.
Atlas began to laugh hysterically. "Lieutenant, show our young friend here." The young Lieutenant grabbed a glass of water and walked in front of Percy and then he threw the water in Percy's face. The water splashed Percy directly in the face wetting his hair and clothes. What that's impossible, Percy can only get wet if he wants to? The pearl, it had to be the answer. Percy looked very surprised.
"Theseus and the others will stop you, they'll find a way." Percy said hopefully.
"Even if they do which is unlikely I have hostages, they will not only keep your demigod friends away they will keep the United States military away as well.
"We'll stop you, why are you doing this?" Percy stated confidently.
"Oh, so much like your brother, the eternal optimist. I guess it wouldn't hurt to tell you our plan since you're not going to stop us in fact before we're done you'll help us." Atlas said calmly.
"I'll never help you." Percy yelled. I could see the anger in his eyes.
"Oh, you'll help or all of your friends will join the crew and your teachers. You see they're all dead." Atlas said.
"Why did you kill them they never did anything to you?" Percy said. They killed the crew and the teachers. I felt terrible for Percy.
"Oh, we had a reason, we needed to make sure they couldn't disrupt our plan and the students know enough about this ship to help besides we only needed the students to keep you in line." Atlas said as he smiled an evil grin at Percy.
"What do you need me to do?" Percy said. Percy looked completely defeated now. I knew that he felt horrible about the deaths of the crew and teachers. I also I knew he would do just about anything to protect his friends especially Terra and Chris.
"Well, you see our spies hijacked a United States Navy air transport headed for Norfolk, Virginia. This transport was carrying a few special weapons." Atlas said emphasizing the word 'special.'
"Don't play games Atlas, what do you mean by special?" Percy said. He might seem defeated, but he was still the same old Percy always pushing the envelope with his sarcasm.
Atlas looked at him angrily. "I don't play games sea spawn. We were trying to capture a nuclear torpedo and two nuclear missiles that were on the transport." Atlas said.
"Why a nuclear weapon cannot harm the gods?" Percy said.
"Well, it can harm demigods and it can harm Atlantis." Atlas said.
"You're going to attack camp and Atlantis with nuclear weapons? The gods will use they're magic to protect everyone, it won't work." Percy said. Atlas is insane, these weapons would cause tremendous fall out.
"Well, we have a special weapon to add to the nuclear bombs to ensure that the gods and their magic are affected. I will get revenge for the death of my uncles." Atlas said.
"Why do you need my help?" Percy asked. He was carefully touching his wrist band. He has an idea I know it. Then I noticed him briefly look at two large tanks hanging from the ceiling. They looked like liquid nitrogen tanks.
"When we hijacked the transport it accidentally crashed into the North Sea it is approximately three hundred miles north of here. I need you to retrieve the bombs from the deep. If you do this I will let this ship and the students go." Atlas stated.
"Why should I trust you?" Percy asked.
"You shouldn't but if you don't help I will kill the other students. That is a promise I will keep." Atlas said ominously.
"Alright, that display over there has a map, show me where the transport went down." Percy said. Atlas stood up and walked over to the map display the three guards followed leaving Percy to follow on his own. That was their mistake. Percy touched his wrist band. His celestial bronze armor covered his body and his helmet covered his head. The guards turned and fired their weapons, the bullets bounced off his armor without leaving a scratch. Percy took out Riptide and it extended instantly as he uncapped it. He threw the sword at one of the liquid nitrogen tanks it immediately hit the floor and exploded sending pieces of metal into one pirate and the room was quickly filled with a white cloud of liquid nitrogen.
"Dammit, use the special weapon. He cannot be allowed to escape." Atlas yelled. The lead pirate took out a pistol and aimed for Percy. I saw Percy extend his shield, but before he could turn around the pirate fired. I watched as the bullet sailed through the air, it hit Percy in the upper right portion of his back. I looked on in horror as the bullet went through the armor and came out the front of Percy's chest. I couldn't believe my eyes, I felt frozen in place and completely helpless. Percy stumbled and fell through the open moon pool into the ocean below. I immediately woke up screaming, "Percy!"
A cliffy, come on you all knew that one was on its way. So now many of the answers are known, but at least one remains what will happen to Percy?