Evening people, here I come with chapter 2 on this lovely Monday. Just kidding, Mondays can't be lovely. Hope you enjoy the story though!

PJO belongs to Rick Riordan.

Percy walked towards his cousin.

"You stand guard, we won't stay long here, but I'd rather this goes smoothly," he stated.

"Sure will," Thalia answered with a smile.

Percy walked around giving orders to his crew. He wasn't a big fan of making stops, but they'd been caught in a storm a few days before and rations weren't particularly high.

A moment after he'd given the order to lower the anchor, he felt a tug on his arm. Turning he saw his cousin's shocked face.

"There's a couple of kids on the dock," she whispered.

Percy raised an eyebrow. Thalia was the best archer they had, why would a couple of children matter to her.

"If they know what's best for them, they'll leave and speak nothing of this," he answered.

"I'm not worried about the fact that there's someone," she shook her head. It's who that I care about."

She led Percy towards the side, and pointed.

Percy could see a couple of blond teenagers, now poorly hiding behind a pile of wood leftovers.

"Do they know us?"

"It's Jason!" Thalia exclaimed. "My brother Jason."

Percy stared at her in awe. How had she recognised a boy from this far? He didn't want to share his thoughts, but maybe his cousin was imagining things. Percy knew she felt guilty about leaving her brother behind. What's more, she wasn't often heard talking about the boy, she hadn't mentioned to him for the longest time.

"Once we get a clearer view," he decided. "And we know it's him for sure, we'll see what to do about it."

"We can bring him here!" she said. "It'll be good for him."

"And what about his friend?" Percy asked heavily. "We don't know who she is, and we can guess what she'll think of your kidnapping idea."

"It's not kidnapping," she cried disbelievingly.

"What isn't?" came a voice behind them.

"Ah, Luke," Percy said, turning to his lieutenant. "Our dear Thalia wants to take those two kids over there on-board, and keep them."

Frowning a bit, Luke said to the girl, "I'm sorry but that does sound a lot like kidnapping," he agreed.

"I don't want to keep them, I want to offer them the choice to stay," she explained. "There's not even a them. Just Jason."

"Jason?" Luke inquired, bemused.

Thalia rolled her eyes, "At least consider it," she begged Percy, and left to get ready.

Once Percy was walking the port he couldn't help but be drawn near the couple of kids. Seeing them up close, he had to agree they were more like young adults than children, as he'd initially hoped.

One of their comments made him stop in his tracks, They'd kill you, you have to plan this through. Excuse him, but no one talked in such a suspicious manner about his people.

Taking them in had been too easy. Percy told a couple of his crewmates to lead their captives blindfolded towards his cabin. He hoped they treated the teenagers right, were the boy to be Jason, Thalia would have Percy's head if he allowed the kid to be handled poorly. Also, the other side of his brain thought. That they won't be too lenient on the kids, let them know this is no laughing matter.

As soon as they were left alone, with the exception of Luke, Percy took away the cloth covering their eyes. He saw how the girl's eyes flew everywhere, trying to take everything in. The boy, on the other hand, stared intently at him. If Percy didn't have years of experience on the boy, he would be output by such a hard stare on one so young.

"Tell me then," Percy spoke clearly. "I want to know what two socialites were doing hiding behind barrels and whispering about planning."

Jason glanced at Annabeth. Percy smirked, that meant she was one to look up to in times of trouble.

"We were not going to attack, if that is what you think, Mr..." she started reluctantly.

"That's captain, to you, love," he smirked. "Captain Jackson."

He saw her frown, so she didn't believe he could be the captain? Who did she think she was, to judge him like that? No, he thought, it's not that. She knows the name.

"Does it sound familiar?"

"No," she answered a tad too quickly. "When are you to let us leave the ship? I have told you already, we were planning nothing. You cannot possibly benefit any longer from our capture."

"That's where you're wrong, love," he shook his head smugly.

"Stop calling me that," she spat.

"Do tell me your name, then," he ordered. "And your companion's. The boy seems rather shy, doesn't he…?"

"Boy?" Jason scoffed. "You cannot have two years on me."

"My apologies," said the Captain sarcastically. "This Lord over here is a grown man. So tell me, what is your name?"

The two captives eyed each other. Apparently coming to a silent agreement.

"I am Annabeth," she girl said. "And this is Jason."

Bingo, it was him. Thalia better kiss his feet after this, he was dealing with a couple of horribly boring children, and he couldn't stand how impolite the girl had been so far. Then it dawned on him. Annabeth wasn't a particularly common name, he only knew of one person called that.

"We've hit jackpot then," he smirked. "A little prince and duchess, right?"

He saw Luke mouth the word search, from his place next to the door. Yes, dear Uncle Zeus wouldn't be pleased to know he'd taken his remaining son. Nor would Annabeth's family, most likely. But now that he had his cousin under his tutelage again, he couldn't help but wonder, what if they could show him what a good alternative this was. Jason wouldn't have to go back. He had his sister here. And as for Annabeth, ransom would be a nice profit in those difficult times.

"Our families will come after you," Annabeth warned him. "They'll worry if we're not home by sunset."

"Yes, love," he agreed. "I know. That's all part of it. We could do with a bit of running from the royal navy."

Annabeth and Jason stared at him in disbelief.

"Plus," he added as an afterthought. "By that time, we'll be beyond the horizon."

With a shudder, he felt as his crew freed his ship from the restricting anchor, and the vessel started moving. Taking a last glance at the new residents of the ship, he stood and left the room.