A Lofty Choice

Chapter 23

Recap:

Natasha nodded and they walked up onto the entrance of a black door. She started picking at a lock when Percy heard a voice he did not recognize. "I know your out there."

Percy froze in alertness ready to lunge or jump away at a moments notice.

Natasha motioned him to stay behind in one motion before taking out her gun. "I know you know I am out here."

She finally got the door opened before slamming it in Percy's face. Percy tried not to be too annoyed and listened in. He would intervene, but a while later when he listed in on the conversation because it seemed a little too familiar to be some random person.

                    *                  *                  *

With his ear pressed to the door he listened in on the muffled voices.   "Then why are you skulking about like it's a minefield?"   Of course, Percy didn't hear that through the door.  Then why are skunking around like it's a mice field?  Percy shook his head and took out his phone to ask Annabeth what this metaphor meant with his Leo-proof phone.

He vaguely heard his mom say something and then another female chuckle along with other words.  Percy hit sent and tuned back in to the door.

"So, we gonna talk like grown-up."   Of course this was even more away from the door because Natasha was moving away.   So we gonna get donuts.   Percy scrunched his eyebrows.  They sounded like friends.   Did his mom have friends?   Did she want to catch up with her girlfriend and introduce him?   Or was she even going to introduce him?   Percy opened his mouth like a fish out of water.  Was his dear mother ashamed of him?!

Percy tried recalling every situation of his mother and she hadn't been ashamed to have him as a son but this was a girl friend.   Unlike the animals like Tony who lived in the tower.   (Sorry Tony).

Percy didn't hear the phrase from the woman, Yelena.   "Is that what we are?"

"Put it down before I make you."

"Put yours down."

"What your step."

All of this went unheard by Percy who got caught up in his own thoughts.  What brought him out of it was the sound of grunts, things breaking, anf the ocasional yelling.  

He heard his mom's voice.   "Stay down, stay down."

Were they exercising?  He heard the other woman yelling.  Percy was proud for being so smart.   It was intense but sometimes it got that way when they were exercising.  

There a lot of grunts when Percy got a message from Annabeth.

Percy:  Hey, there is a person who said a metaphor that I don't understand.   "Then why are you skunking around like it's a mice field?"  Can you help me translate?

Annabeth:   I want to ask you who in the Hades are you talking to come up with this metaphor, but it's you.  Skunks are known to spray around a bad odor when they are afraid.   I couldn't find mice field but it could have been field mice.  Field  mice are known for beings pests and hard to get rid of.   The person must have been saying, "why are you trying to get rid of me?"   Percy you must have upset that person and made them think that they weren't wanted.

Percy:  It wasn't me, but don't worry the other person asked if they want to get donuts so it's good.   And they were working out together so they must be fine.

Annabeth:  Okay.  Tell me the full story later.

There was a lot of breathing which seemed like they were done with their workout.   Then there was more calm talking.  Percy waited for them to have a conversation.   It was a good thing if they talked whatever was bothering them.  

Of course during this time he was waiting on a staircase in front of door.  Some girl in a leather jacket passed by and gave him a raised eyebrow.   Percy smiled and waved which made the person give him even more of a look.   Percy shrugged.  He couldn't control what the passers by were thinking.  He could only control himself.

Suddenly there was an explosions inside the room and gunshots.   Percy looked over to warn the girl but she was already gone.   How do you deal with gunfire?   Percy ducked and found his mom and an unknown blonde lady rushing up the stairs.  

Percy not knowing what to do ran after them.  Eventually they climbed outside the window Percy cursing and following after them.  They were on a roof and started running off the roofs.  It would hurt if he fell off this roof. 

Eventually they got on this metal thing.   That's when Percy said "no."

The lady from the hall jumped on with them as the cylinder fell down a few stories.    She didn't have a grip like they did so her hand slipped.   Natasha tried to grab onto her hand, but she slipped and fell into the shallow water below.

Percy started to climb down in a safer way then his mom.   Percy understood that if a monster was after them, but since the woman wasn't technically after him he could choose a safer way without being in Zeus mercy.  

When Percy finally got down he looked concerned because the woman in the water was now dead.   Natasha and her friend looked like they were having a serious conversation.  

The blonde woman took out a gun and pointed it at Percy.  Percy put out his hands in a gesture to of surrender.  "Why were you following us?"

Percy turned to Natasha and asked her a question.  "Are you ashamed of me?   You have a whole conversation inside and you did not tell her about me."

The blonde woman looked at Natasha and to Percy.  "He is a little to young don't you think?"

Percy made a gagging sound, and Natasha looked up at the sky.   Her dark mood from earlier was still there but something lifted at Percy's presence.  

"We can talk about this later.  It's a long story and I don't think we can stick around any longer.  Percy go away for a little we can meet in a little while.   We will lead them in a little while."

"So your abandoning me in a city I don't know."

"You will survive," Natasha said.   When they left Percy ran in another direction hearing crashing noises in chaos wondering where next he would meet the crazy duo.   Also wondering what in the Hades was going on.    With what he knew his mom had cut people off from that metaphor.  Maybe that's why people were after her?   He never pictured his mom as socially awkward but he was starting to get a clearer picture.  They had a lot to talk about later.

The next thing thing he knows is he got a text from his mom to meet at a convenience store.