The Battle for Olympus

Percy

Stealing the car and siphoning gas to Arizona was bad enough, but staring down the La Rue's No Trespassing sign felt more dangerous than any crime.

Percy figured driving a car with California plates into Clarisse La Rue's driveway wasn't the best idea, so he parked the car on the road. To gather his courage, he stood in the driveway for a moment. It was so dry, the top soil was picked up by the faintest breeze, a shallow forest of a few scraggly pines stood behind the iron fence. It looked exactly like Percy thought it would.

Already regretting leaving his water in the car, Percy started down the driveway. His feet swished through the layer of dry dust, and he thought only of Annabeth. Annabeth who spent months searching for him only to be captured by the romans before he could see her again. Percy wasn't one to carry grudges, but if he came across Jason Grace he would rip him to shreds.

Jason was the other half of Hera's forced exchange program, a leader for a leader, but Percy would never have done what Jason did. We're not as alike as you think, Hera, Percy thought. And then there was the bigger question at play. What exactly was Jason's plan? Wage war on the Greeks? Use Annabeth as some sort of hostage exchange? And what about fighting Gaea and the giants?

Percy was so lost in thought he didn't notice the other person, not until there was a telltale click behind him.

"Turn around," the person said. "Slowly."

Cursing himself, Percy carefully turned around, his hands in the air. He found himself staring down a double barreled shotgun, aimed directly at his face.

"Now, what are you doing on my property?" The speaker was an older woman, maybe fifty or so with streaks of gray in her brown hair. But by no means was she frail, her arms were well muscled and the gun rested steadily in her hands. "I'm not gonna ask you again, son," she sneered. And that's when it clicked. He'd heard that tone a hundred times.

"My name is Percy Jackson," he said slowly. "And I'm a friend of your daughter's."

"You know my daughter, huh? How do I know you're not lyin."

"I umm, we go to the same summer camp?" Percy said. "You know, the summer camp." He hoped Clarisse's mom picked up on why he was saying.

She rolled her eyes. "You're a demigod then? Prove it."

Percy glanced around. He was in the middle of the desert. No water in sight. Well, this is it, Percy thought. I'm gonna get my head blown off in nowhere, Arizona by Clarisse la Rue's mom. Then it hit him.

"Wait!" He closed his eyes and reached his senses outward, back down the driveway to his car. Thanking the gods he left his window cracked, Percy siphoned the water out of his bottle and down the road to his hands. He swished the water back and forth before breaking his concentration and letting it fall to the thirsty ground.

Clarisse's mom raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Son of Poseidon, huh?"

"Um, yeah."

She took a step closer, the barrel of the gun nearly touching Percy's forehead. "The one who humiliated Clarisse's father?"

Percy grimaced. "Yeah?"

Clarisse's mom stepped back and let her gun fall. "Well then. You're welcome any time."

Percy blinked. "You-"

"Let's get you to the house," the woman interrupted. "Clarisse is home from college on summer break."

They walked in silence for a while, Percy eyeing her gun. It rested at her side, loaded but not cocked. Not super reassuring, but not threatening either.