Dark-Hair, Sea Eyes

16

"You know Percy, I expected you to ask for help with Order and Chaos, or even with the Graces. Instead, you're asking for help with this random country in some war?" Annabeth asked. When she came out, Percy followed her and Magnus to a small yet majestic room where he finally asked his favor.

"You know how Chiron is about fighting within our class. I would never ask that of you, " Percy said, rolling his eyes. "Jason isn't apart of our class. We can take care of that if you won't," Annabeth said. She was always the more... scary one of the Chases. Despite Magnus's unsettling appearance, he preferred rebuilding the kingdom after Annabeth destroyed it. "If I wanted him dead he would've been. The country has more value to me, " Percy said, but Annabeth interjected again. "And you have Chaos and Order under control?"

"Not entirely. Chaos gave me a job and my target is Crypt,"  Percy said, anticipating the cousins' outburst before they started.

He raised his hand to shut them up. "I will catch Crypt, but I won't let him die. I do have a job to do."

Magnus slouched into a chair, not liking what he was hearing. "So let me get this straight," he started, his index finger and thumb squeezing the bridge of his nose. "Thalia and the other one is after you on behalf of Order, and you're after Carter on behalf of Chaos. Do you see nothing wrong with that?"

"They're turning us against each other. Percy, why are you asking about some country when someone's after the class?" Annabeth questioned. Percy rolled his eyes.

"The Graces will leave as soon as Order loses whatever leverage she has over them," Percy told them. "They'll go after Tyson long before Order manages to lose whatever leverage she has. I know you've dropped him off somewhere, but the Graces have been almost as good as you when it comes to-" "Thalia knows if she touches Tyson that Jason is dead. She values her little brother just as much as Percy does Tyson. That's not something to worry about. What you should be worried about is why you're being pined over and what's going to happen if they catch you. Do you have any idea what Chaos and Order have control over?" Magnus asked.

Annabeth scoffed. "Of course he does, he probably does business with them."

Ah, of course. This is what she was leading up to.

It was known throughout the class that Percy bought people. The class wasn't built on morals—most of them only got paid if they killed someone— but trafficking, especially one that's trading in people, had been a sensitive topic due to Percy's Earth having being ransacked and left barren. One of the lurking possibilities that followed them throughout their lives was that there were family members out there, captured instead of dead. Chiron got everyone with at least one person that was related to them as was the case of Carter and Sadie, Percy and Tyson, or Annabeth and Magnus. Yet Thalia was rescued alone and found her younger brother in a slave trade shipment. Percy's side hobby wasn't met with jokes or indifference as his main job. It was met with disgust and judgment, which is what he wanted. It meant no one knew what he was doing, and those people remained protected.

"I didn't know them, and no, I did no business with them. I did kill some of Chaos' men for a job," Percy mentioned. "Do you remember their names?" Magnus asked, leaning forward. "My target's name was Bryce Lawrence. His men were collateral damage, " Percy said, and Magnus nodded. "Bryce. I don't know why but I feel like he was an assh... terrible person for the sake of the children, " Magnus said mockingly, patting Percy's head. "He was. Used three of his men as human shields before I managed to get to him." "Three? You must've been losing your touch," Annabeth said. "I didn't have 'touch', I was thirteen, " Percy said, rolling his eyes.

"Did you hear that they have gods?" Magnus asked. "Yes. Actually, I have one. Apollo." Percy said. "You bought a god? Where is he?" Annabeth inquired. "Do you agree to help me with my country?" Percy asked again.

Annabeth sighed and looked at her cousin. Magnus shrugged and then she huffed before nodding her head. "We'll help with your war. You did say it was just a war between two countries right?" "That's correct. There aren't many fighters there. They need order but I don't have time to train anyone, " Percy said. It was easier to get them to do it than he thought it would be. "The god is there so you can meet him then. The di Angelos are already over there so when you're finished up here contact them."

Percy stood, waiting to see if they had anything else they wanted to talk about. "Why do you care about this planet so much?" Magnus questioned. Annabeth raised her eyebrows, interested in his answer. "I'm paying you, " Percy said plainly, reminding them that technically speaking, he was their boss. Magnus rolled his eyes. "Okay, okay, no questions."

"I'm guessing this is where you leave and we don't see you for another few years?"

"Basically."

Magnus sighed and Annabeth scoffed, slapping the back of Percy's head as she walked out the room. "Don't get Carter killed please and thank you, " she called behind her. Ok. "You don't die either," Magnus told him. No promises there.

"Same goes for you two. Watch your back, " he called after them. Playing with kingdoms was dangerous and while he knew that they both knew what they were doing, he also knew that they had problems that could screw them up.

The guard, Ahmad, showed up to guide Percy back to the party, carefully eyeing the assassin. Percy figured he just had something to report to his king about the Chases meeting someone, but Percy wasn't here to kill anyone so there was nothing to report.

Percy felt the Princess's eyes on him the second he walked into the room. He internally groaned when the crowd surrounding her cleared to make a path-- one that lead straight to him. Damn it.

Percy thought about stepping back and becoming one of the people making the path but then decided to simply about-face and leave. Unfortunately, she noticed this. "Wait, stop! Stop that man!" She called, and Percy picked up his speed as hands seemed to rain down to get ahold of him.

When he made it out of the palace he started sprinting, hearing the guards cursing as they began chasing him. They were loud, the clanging of their golden armor filling the streets as people moved out of the way to let the guards through but some grabbed at him, trying to pull him down so the guards could apprehend him. Percy avoided them easily, but they did slow him down a little bit.

A loud squawk sounded in his mind and Percy cursed. Down, Abyss. Silence followed, but the dragon listened and stayed out of sight. Percy slowed to a stop. He had to change direction as to not lead the guards to Abby or the witch-princess, but he didn't know this planet. Deadend.

"Sir! Princess Aurelia has chosen to court you. Please follow us back to the palace, " the head guard said. This is courting? What is wrong with this country?

Percy evidently took too long to follow them because the head guard then grabbed for him, Percy's back hitting a large brick wall as he just barely avoided the man's hand. They were far from people now, the guard only having five or six men accompanying him. This planet was 'behind' a lot of planets as it didn't have cameras or extra security measures like most did. If he were to defend himself, no one would know.

And no one found out afterwards, either.

And that's the end of this part.

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