Chapter 3
~Annabeth's P.O.V.~
Annabeth could not believe her eyes. Standing, right in front of her, was Percy Jackson. The Percy Jackson. The same Percy Jackson who was the son of one of the biggest company names in the world. She never thought she'd see the day. It wasn't envy, it wasn't excitement, it was pure utter and total shock.
She was in her office not a moment before, about to give her cousin Thalia a call over in the Western section of Europe. They had a base of operations there as well, and it had been a good few weeks since Annabeth talked to the girl. She missed her, and hoped everything was going well.
Instead of calling Thalia, a light tap came on her office doors, them being open a moment later. A smile grazed Annabeth's face as Silena stepped in, her old friend followed by Nico. The young gothic boy strolled in behind Silena, popping a squat right on top of Annabeth's desk.
Nico was a close friend of Annabeth's. She and he knew each other ever since they were little, and since their fathers, along with Thalia's, also worked for K. Ronos, they all saw each other as the perfect company for the Revolution.
There was a serious irony to Annabeth Chase's life. An irony that made life both amusing, and difficult. While she was one of the head leaders of the Revolution, she was also the eldest daughter of a Dr. Fredrick Chase. Fredrick Chase was the main accountant and money holder for K. Ronos. He dealt with all finances, money, and spending of the company, making him extremely important to K. Ronos. Annabeth was his only daughter, and that meant she spent her life in luxury and wealth. She didn't want any of it, she never did. It was an unwanted gift that was thrust upon her, and it was one of the main things that caused the greatest person in her life to leave.
Athena Olympiad, Annabeth's mother and Thalia's aunt, was the kindest, most caring person Annabeth ever knew. She was a brilliant architect that designed multiple skyscrapers in cities, all marked by her trademark Owl on the front entrance. Athena always showed Annabeth knew things and helped her learn whenever she could. Athena left Fredrick when Annabeth was ten, claiming the money and fame was too much for to handle and Fredrick was no longer the man she married, and it crushed Annabeth severely. She did visit her mom from time to time, but after her step family moved in and she had to put up with her step monster, life was never the same.
Annabeth took a good look at Nico, only slightly annoyed at the fact he was sitting on her desk.
Nico, unlike most, was a weird combination of class and punk. He wore dark colors and gothic clothing, but it was all a tad classy and pulled together in a suit able manor. That day, he wore a black dress shirt with a brilliant red tie to through a little color in. A smooth midnight colored steampunk jacket covered the classy get up, and the silver buttons down the front glimmered wickedly. His black skinny jeans were tight to his legs, and his heavy leather boots were laced so many times, Annabeth wondered how long it actually took him to get ready. His hair was a bit long, past his eyes, and in a slightly sloppy manor. Slightly visible dark circles lined his eyes, his lack of sleep truly adding to his appearance, and his basically black eyes were looking around her office. His skin was pale, in contrast to Annabeth's tan skin, and the young boy looked way too mature for his age. He was a few years younger than Annabeth and almost everyone apart of the cause. He carried heavy baggage with him, from his father's success to the late death of his older sister Bianca, Nico had matured way too quickly in Annabeth's opinion. She wouldn't have let him be a part of any of it if his father wasn't involved or his sister hadn't been seriously involved as well. The Di Angelos were set out to stop their father, and Nico was planning to continue that goal, even without his sister.
"Afternoon Annie." Nico greeted, hands fidgeting over her stuff.
She swatted his hand away, curtly correcting, "Annabeth." before turning to Silena, "You have something for me?"
"New stats for this month on their shipments," Silena reported, dropping a manila folder in the center of Annabeth's desk, "and… we have a new recruit."
Annabeth's head snapped up from the folder with a tad bit of confusion and curiosity.
"A new recruit? Who?" Annabeth questioned, hands touching the folder while her attention was still solely on Silena.
Silena only smiled, walking out the door. Her hand stood on the door, smirk aimed directly at Annabeth.
"Oh you're gonna love this one. I'll bring him by soon."
With that, the black haired beauty left, Nico being Annabeth's only company left in the room.
New recruit? Who would want to join now? It was kind of late in the game, and seeing as the Revolution was very hush hush, Annabeth had no idea who it could be. She secretly wanted someone who could get inside more, seeing as Thalia, Nico, and her relationships with their fathers were shaky and Beckendorf's father wasn't high enough to get good information. She wanted eyes on the inside, but she's had no candidates. Information was key to winning, and even though Silena did a good job hacking into the system and gathering information, it just wasn't enough to gain the upper hand.
"What we got?" Nico questioned, looking at the folder upside down when Annabeth opened it.
"New shipments heading out towards Australia and China, heavy ocean and sky shipments. Ten tons of weapons and around twenty ship loads of ammo were sent to the Baltic states alone. Oddly enough, your father somehow managed to keep another month of only making seven underground shipments, all having only four weapon loads. He must be pretty good at convincing Ronos to let him do his thing." Annabeth commented, tapping a pen to the paper, displaying the shipment records.
Nico tilted his head, getting a better view, than he nonchalantly shrugged, standing up and moving to the fancy, dark blue arm chair in the corner of the office. He sat with one leg under the other, his hands picking up a random book off the wall book shelf beside his chair. His voice was emotionless and noncaring when he spoke, his eyes cast into the book he picked up.
"My dad's… persuasive. He can get his way just by saying a few words. I see it at home all the time."
Annabeth grey eyes trained on the teen, but she didn't reply. She always felt for Nico, but she'd never tell him that. She always wished she could take the pain of Bianca and the pain of home away, but she couldn't. Nico was Nico, and that's just how things are.
Annabeth stood, folder in hand, and she perched herself in front of the desk, reading.
Then the knock came, and the utter and total shock of seeing Percy Jackson standing in her office.
Percy Jackson.
When her initial shock left, her eyes wandered a tad, looking over his appearance.
He looked like he had just been beat up, and that must have been why she heard a gunshot go off close to after Silena left. Fighting on the first day? Not a splendid first impression, but one Annabeth could look over.
He sported a white tank top that was a little stretched, one of two drops of blood doting it, from his lip as Annabeth could tell, and a brown leather hoodie that fitted his shoulders well was placed over top of the shirts. Jeans that fit his figure soundly were accompanied by dark converse, and Annabeth couldn't help but be slightly impressed. He didn't look too bad for being a first timer, and she had to hand that to him. There was a deep hunch in her gut that the tank top wasn't the only shirt he came in with, but knowing Beckendorf, who was escorting him in, Percy had lost that shirt quiet some time ago.
Her eyes traveled up towards his face, and she smirked the slightest bit as she noticed his eyes wander as well. His skin was brushed with a tan. His raven colored hair was short and slightly pushed up in a kind of messy manor. His nose was a bit thin and his eyes were a brilliant sea-green that stole Annabeth's attention. There were analyzing her, and she was analyzing him, and soon the two colors clashed. (Viria's version of Percy)
"Percy, I want you to meet our head and leader that's made all of this possible and will take us to victory. Miss Annabeth Chase." Beckendorf introduce, their personal staring contesting continuing.
The smirk reappeared on Annabeth's face, eyes still on him.
"Call me Captain Chase."
After the introduction and formalities, it was time to get down to business. Percy was not just a normal person joining the Revolution. No, he had a secret. The secret of his father. He could be the inside that Annabeth needed, and she was basically itching to run the idea by him.
They sat in the meeting room down the hall from her office, Charles, Silena, Nico, and Percy joining her. Annabeth sat at the head of the table, her solid, leader face on, and she began talking, pointing to different pictures they laid out on the table.
"This, as you should know, is K. Ronos." The snake like devil's face was there, staring back at her as she continued, "He owns a weapons company that has spread worldwide. He owns everything, from guns to the bullets themselves.
"He has three ways to spread the weapons around. Air," her finger landed on a picture of Zeus Olympiad. He wore a perfectly pressed pinstripe suit, his hair dark grey with a wicked grey-black beard. His picture practically buzzed with power, and Annabeth could see where Thalia got her intimidating look, "Ocean," a picture of Poseidon was next, Percy's eyes moving away from it. He knew what his father looked like, he apparently didn't need a reminder, "and underground," Nico's dad, Hades Di Angelo, was the next picture. He wore a solid black suit and his hair was to his shoulders. His goatee was trimmed and perfect, and his stare bore into anyone who dare looked at him. Annabeth could see where Nico got his death glare from. Now that Annabeth had a better look, see could even see the resemblances between Poseidon and Percy, "They are the main supporters for Ronos.
"Next, we have two side workers, Hermes Castellan and Fredrick Chase."
"Chase, as in-" Percy started, about to ask if it was her father. But Annabeth didn't give him the chance. She didn't enjoy talking about her father.
"Yes, as in my father. Not that important, let's move on."
A small snicker came from Nico, and Annabeth's line of sight moved to the Goth. His feet were perched up on the table, his fingers twisting and twirling around a golden miniature skull. His obsidian eyes glimmered with amusement, and she simply shook her head.
Nico found it amusing how much she wouldn't talk about her father. He teased her about it repeatedly. Even if he didn't enjoy his father, he and Annabeth both knew she hated hers more.
Annabeth pulled her dagger from her hip, pointing the shimmering bronze blade at the boy.
"You can't behave, you can leave," Annabeth vowed, Nico's hands going up in innocence, nodding for her to continue.
"You were saying?" Percy interjected, his eyes back on her. Annabeth watched him for a moment, his full attention and devotion directed at her, and she knew she could continue.
"Hermes and Fredrick," She flicked her wrist, the blade going straight between picture Ronos's eyes, and her hands grazing over Hermes and Fredrick.
"Hermes," an athletic man with slight elfish features and salt and pepper hair, "is the delivering coordinator and the man who makes sure every shipment is delivered. He tells them the next place to go and how much goes there. Chase is the money man. He handles finances and he tracks how everything works and the amounts spent and gained. After them are others, like Beckendorf's dad who helps creating the weapons. These five, however, are our main targets."
Annabeth sat back, taking a quick breath. She watched Percy carefully. His eyes were on the dagger, it still in the picture, and he cautiously reached his fingers out to touch the handle of it. He looked from face to face, eyes showing an emotion Annabeth couldn't name, and he spoke gingerly when he did.
"How are you planning to take them out? And how can I fit into all of this?" Percy offered, his arms crossing over his toned chest.
Silena jumped in this time, Annabeth letting her continue the conversation.
"We're going to slowly diminish the shipments, taking one way out at a time," her perfect finger nails making X marks over each man, "and stop the military power he's gaining from all the weapon shipments. He makes a pact with each military he provides to, giving him full loyalty when and if he needs it. No questions asked. We can't have that. We need to stop him before he gains so much that no one can stop him. How do you fit in? Well-"
"You're a child of one of the big three," Nico interrupted, examining his fingernails then turning to Percy, his hand going flat on the table, his skull ring glinting in the room's light, "You can get closer inside than any other of us."
"But what about Annabeth?" Percy asked, pointing at the blonde.
The comment make her scoff, her head shaking a bit. Man this kid was really slow.
"If you couldn't tell already, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth quipped, making a jab at his father's association to the sea shipments and Percy's intelligence, "I'm not exactly close to my father."
"Well neither am I Wise Girl," Percy quipped, facing her and sitting up straight, arms fully crossed instead of their previous lazy state.
"Wise Girl?"
"ANYWAY" Silena restarted, glancing back and forth between them, "Percy, if you could get inside, we could gain more of the information that we need to beat them. Without that information, we can never be a step ahead of them." Silena looked almost pleadingly at Percy, his resolve slowly breaking. Silena had a great habit of making people do what she wanted. From a look or just an extended please, the girl was a master on convincing people to do what she said.
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. His hands locked behind his head, eyes trained on K. Ronos's picture.
"So basically," he inquired, "I have to spend more time with my father, the one man in the world I hate spending time with, and tell the Revolution any information I find the entire hell trip?" His gazing falling on everyone and stopping on Annabeth, the question mainly directed at her.
Annabeth's head tilted a bit in approval, agreeing to his question.
"It'd be much appreciated if you would." Her manors showing as she addressed him.
His eyes were conflicted for a moment, hate moving and swirling around determination, and flecks of fear buried deep inside. None of them wanted to spend time with their rich parent, and Percy was taking the greatest risk of them all by being the inside double agent.
He sighed, deciding, "Alright… alright I'll do it. But I cannot guarantee you anything at all." A weight was lifted with his words, and everyone smiled at the table a bit.
"I knew you'd come in handy Perce." Beckendorf chuckled, standing with Silena, the two holding hands, "Come on, I'll give you a ride home. We'll catch you tomorrow Boss Man."
"See ya tomorrow Annie." Silena chorused after Beckendorf, the two exiting the room.
Percy followed suit, hands in his pockets. He halted right before the door, body turning back towards the table.
Annabeth stayed there as well did Nico. Annabeth's gaze matched Percy's, and the dark haired boy smiled softly, hints of challenge in his eyes. It seemed like they were in a miniature battle, their eyes staring deeply into the other's. Annabeth didn't want to pull away. His gaze was addictive and she found herself getting lost in the color, her focus dwindling a bit.
"I'll see you tomorrow… Wise Girl."
Her heart skipped a beat for an odd reason, the quip hitting her as playful, and she returned the expression, "Likewise Seaweed Brain."
The boy turned and left, Annabeth watching him the whole way.
Her eyes returned to the polished table top, her knife staring back at her. A calm silence passed between herself and Nico, her brain so deep in thought that she barely noticed Nico stand to leave.
"Get some sleep tonight Annie," he suggested, hand touching her shoulder gently, his voice a bit sad. He knew her burden as well as she knew his. They had both been through so much.
"I'm going to give Thalia a call and Chiron a call then I'll try," her hand picking up the knife, taking the picture off at it as she stared at it, "You sleep as well." She always felt like an older sister to Nico, and if her telling him to sleep was all she could do to be protective, then so be it.
A chuckle escaped his lips. A small flicker than a click entered the room, and a small flame was held to the bottom corner away from Annabeth's hand. The flame crawled up the page, devouring K. Ronos's face in the process, and Annabeth gentle set the picture down as it finished it's burning, leaving a small pile of ash. Nico shoved his lighter back into his pocket, his back facing her as he departed.
"You know as well as I do that we don't run on sleep. You and I run on drive. Sleep left us long ago. I'll see you tomorrow Annabeth." And with that, Annabeth found herself alone.
He blonde sighed, leaning forward, her forehead finding the cool table's wooden surface. Her hands ran through her hair, a heavy sigh escaping her lips, and her slender fingers tiredly moving over her scalp. She had so much to plan, so much to do, and all she truly wanted to do was get a good night's rest. Close her eyes and let the stress leave her body. Let pillows and blankets take her problems away, no matter how heavy they were.
But she couldn't do that, and she knew that. The strong leader lifted her head up, hand sliding into her pocket. She pulled out her phone and dialed the one number she'd been waiting to speak to all day. The phone rang a few times, the delay making Annabeth a bit twitchy, and relief flooded her in waves when a voice picked up on the other line.
"Annie?"
"Hey Thals, we have a lot to discuss."
WARNING!: PLEASE read the A/N. It's truly important this time.
A/N: AND THERE'S THREE! So so so so sorry it took me so long. After having to do take two, I told myself I needed to do my summer homework and get some done. So if updating takes a bit longer, it's because I have a lot of homework I need to do and school comes first! Sorry if this is bad, I just needed to get the info of this all out there and we need to brief Percy in Yes Thalia and Annabeth are cousins but Percy and Thalia are not. Problem? Well too bad :3 R and R! I love you all and I LOVE all your reviews!
Also If this sucks, I'm sorry for the lack of detail. I stayed up way late in the night and spent around 6 hours in total on this, trying to work this out. It'll be better next time. SORRY