Hello my friends! I am thrilled to have you here for a new story. Thank you also for following. I don't own anything, but Percabeth owns me. All the mistakes are mine.

Chapter 1

With all of his meticulous planning, Luke Castellan counted on this explosion to get plenty of attention. It wasn't everyday that a crosswalk bridge at Baptist Hospital was blown to pieces. He'd spent the past few weeks working on his plan and his plastic explosives.

It was fairly easy to be ignored at this poor excuse for a medical center. The half assed security officers were busy with a broken down cat stalled at the parking garage entrance. Luke managed to stay hidden in the hospital for a few hours while waiting for the right opportunity. He'd studied the patterns of the officers, noting when they changed shifts and when they made rounds.

He'd set one explosive in a small nook within the walkway. It was open for visitors until ten. In the past month, Luke had walked over this bridge enough times that he'd memorized the cracks in the floor, as well as how to hide for the view of the camera. He was proud of his hard work. The payoff would happen tonight, in about ten minutes.

What propelled Castellan to make such a devious and dangerous plan?

Frederick Chase, the CEO of Chase Architex, terminated his position four months ago from the business. He never saw it coming. No heads up or warning. A brown box waited for him at his desk with a letter one morning. That was all she wrote, so to speak.

All the bitterness and rage Luke felt towards Chase, and his daughter Annabeth, fueled him to make this decision. The company wasn't using his designs or the drafts he'd poured his heart into. Frederick made certain that Luke knew his daughter's work would be chosen.

But they were complete and utter shit, just like this pathetic walkway. It too was designed by Chase Architex. People oohed and aahed over the damn thing for weeks. Now they would have something totally new to talk about soon.

Quite honestly, Luke wanted to see how the explosion looked. It was his first, and in his mind, the first of many to come. The detonator felt good in his hand, like a good luck penny he could rub contentedly. All the puzzle pieces were falling into place. He grinned wickedly the moment he pushed the button.

The noise was thunderous, shattering some of the windows across from him. The sensation he felt when the ground shook slightly, well, it was deeply satisfying. Maybe someone had been walking on it. They would certainly be dead now.

What a shame. What a damn shame indeed.

—BER—

Annabeth Chase knew about the explosion. Her father had worked for days and weeks making the Baptist Hospital Crosswalk on Sumter Street the best it could be. She'd assisted with some of the drafting. Nothing, absolutely nothing, about it made logical sense. But here she was, walking into her office, taking everything in as best she could.

Her administrative assistant and cousin, Piper, was equally concerned. The look on her face spoke volumes when they waved at each other from across the room. Upon walking into her office, Annabeth switched the space heater on since the room was freezing cold. There hadn't been enough time to run by Starbucks to grab a latte, but there was a Keurig available. Warmth and a touch of caffeine would be helpful this morning.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Piper asked after knocking on the door. Her compassion always shone through with a kind smile.

"I have to be okay, more than that really. My dad raised a strong, independent woman." Annabeth popped the k-cup into the Keurig. "The damage and lives hurt and loss are painful, don't get me wrong. I saw the pictures. It's heartbreaking." She was intentionally trying to stay busy. "We'll redesign and rebuild when the time is right, okay?"

"You sound more like you're trying to convince yourself."

Annabeth shrugged, moved some papers on her desk, and set her mug down. Before she or Piper could continue the conversation, someone stepped into the main foyer with a delivery. There were two envelopes; one for Annabeth, one for her dad.

At first, she wasn't interested in opening any mail because it was still too early. Her head was throbbing slightly, which meant a search for tylenol. There was a spare bottle in the bottom drawer, where she kept extra toiletries. Sometimes she worked later into the night on various projects. Keeping a spare toothbrush and lipstick usually came in handy.

No sooner than she swallowed two pills was her dad standing in the doorway of her office.

"Annabeth, did you open that letter?" He looked panicked, as if his world were on edge.

"No, I didn't, not yet. Is there something wrong? Oh god, there is, isn't there?"

He grabbed it from the corner spot, ripped at the seam, and his jaw went slack.

Annabeth went to stand next to him. It was a strange, unnerving message.

What doesn't kill you will only make me stronger.

A cold shiver ran down her back. Annabeth wasn't certain, but in the back of her mind, she questioned if there was a connection between the explosion and the letter. If there was, this would be the time for drastic measures.

Thank you all again for reading. There will be another update soon!